Hi there,
Today, it is the Birth anniversary of Baba Sahib Dr.Bhim Rao Ambedkar-ji and in Leh we are celebrating this day with much gaity and solemnity! School children are seen frulling the Buddhist Flag sloganeering Dr. Ambedkar-ji Amar Rahe!
To my late father Aba Tashi Rabgias le he told before Ven’ble Kushok Gyalrtsas Bakula Rinpoche le, ‘Rinpoche-ji do you have more young man like him in Ladakh? ’ as my father had just interpretered in English all the conversation that took place between Ven’ble Rinpoche le and then Law Minister Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar-ji when they met in Burma during the year 1954 at the invitation of President Unu father of Aung Sung Suki.
Ven’ble KG Bakula with Nehru
He further adivised Ven’ble K G Bakula, ‘Rinpoche-ji please ask your young people to learn English as this would help them to become Doctors, Engineers and Lawyers and much more! This message of Baba Sahib-ji remained with my father for his entire life and made no mistake in sending me to a Scottish run Missionary School in Kashmir valley by the name of Tyandale Biscoe School in the year 1969.
My father himself had gone to the same School after he finished his middle School in Leh in the year 1941 along with Ajang Tsewang Gyurmet of Shey Sagarak family who studied in a different School.
Today, all subjects in Government Schools are taught in English language in Ladakh. Ladakhi children fare very well in college and university studies. Their spoken English are excellent and they could be the next working officials in the Government and Private companies provided they are focused and motivated?
There are number of Ladakhi students who have got Assistant Professorship in Delhi University in the recent past which is unprecendented and there could be more in other services.
By this I don’t mean to undermine our own language which is Ladakhi/Tibetan/Bhoti. We must really know our own language as without it our life would be grey and dull. Bhoti help us to learn the great Mantras and Sutras of innumerable Buddhist teachers and Bodhisattvas and our daily life becomes so charming by the grace of Lama, Yedum and Khandro! Bye for now.