Self-appointed sentry honored for diligence

Following in her father's footsteps, Tibetan villager Drolkar has spent decades keeping an eye out for trouble at border

Drolkar is one of the recipients of the July 1 Medal, the highest honor conferred to outstanding members of the Communist Party of China.

As an ordinary Tibetan villager, she and her family have been guarding the country's territory for over three decades.

Drolkar is from Yulmai village in Lhunze county, Tibet autonomous region, which sits at the southern foot of the Himalayas and on China's border with India.

The 60-year-old has been on border patrol with her family since she was a child. At 35, she became a member of the CPC.

Every month, in addition to doing housework and herding, Drolkar spends one day patrolling the border.

From 1964 to 1996, Drolkar's hometown was considered China's smallest in terms of population. In fact, it was called a "three-person township" because during that time, only Drolkar, her father, Sangye Chopa, and her sister, Yangzom, lived there.

After Tibet's liberation in 1950, villagers, including Drolkar and her family, were relocated to new areas that were more suitable for living in terms of environment and climate. They were provided with new houses, livestock and grain.

Drolkar's family volunteered to return to the village not long after their relocation, although living conditions were poor and it was barely accessible, particularly between November and May when the mountain pathways were usually blocked by heavy snow. The family members were the only inhabitants and guardians of a township of 1,976 square kilometers.

Since their father died, Drolkar and Yangzom have kept patrolling the border.

While herding animals, they keep an eye out along the border and report suspicious activities such as smuggling.