Tibetan Review. The Story of a Media Warrior for Tibetan Freedom

source: tibetanreview.net

According to Wikipedia, Tibet is a historic region in Asia covering the Tibetan Plateau and its surroundings, now mostly within the borders of China. This small piece of land has fought for its independence for centuries. It held it, though not fully, from 1912 to 1951. Then came the annexation by China, and the struggle for freedom once again became a top priority for Tibetans.

In March 1959, after the bloody suppression of an anti-Chinese uprising, a Tibetan government-in-exile was formed in Dharamsala, India, with the Dalai Lama as its leader. Tibet has its own flag and anthem, and even a soccer team. Today, in the digital age, several media outlets work for this region, including the Tibetan Review, which began print in 1967.

First Voice: The Voice of Tibet

After the 1959 uprising fell, the Dalai Lama and 80,000 Tibetans fled to India. Among them was ten-year-old Lodi Gyari, later founder of the Tibetan Youth Congress, head of government, and the Dalai Lama’s personal emissary to the U.S.

Gyari was recognized as the reincarnation of the Nyingma Buddhist master Khenchen Jampal Dewé Nyima from the Lumorap Monastery in Tibet. As a Rinpoche, or reincarnated lama, he was trained from childhood in the monastic tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He was also a fighter. He came from a family committed to Tibetan freedom. Though he supported direct action, his path turned out quite differently.


Since he was fluent in English, he was chosen as a translator for a group of Tibetan resistance fighters trained in the U.S. There, he discovered new ways to fight for his people`s freedom. He became a journalist. At just 18, he was made editor of the Tibetan-language paper Tibetan Freedom. Yet he wanted Tibet’s voice to reach more people, so together with a group of dedicated individuals, he launched the English-language monthly The Voice of Tibet and became its editor-in-chief.

The magazine’s office was in Darjeeling, West Bengal, and its small editorial team consisted of enthusiasts and defenders of Tibet. For months, the team reported on refugees and their struggles, decisions, and the 14th Dalai Lama’s commentary on Tibet and global issues. Though ambitious, the first issue was more of a pamphlet than a real magazine, and the young editor-in-chief longed for political engagement. Everything changed in January 1968, when Tenzin Ngawang Takla took over the editorial leadership.

A Professional Review

The new editor-in-chief’s first move was to rename the monthly. Starting in April, it adopted the title it holds to this day: Tibetan Review (Przegląd Tybetański), though its mission remained:

• to remember and share Tibetan history
• to support the Dalai Lama`s efforts
• to align with Tibetan Buddhist traditions
• to always speak the truth and remain independent
• to support fellow Tibetans in exile and in Tibet
• to cooperate with the Indian government

Under TN Takla, the Tibetan Review became more professional. It published relatively high-quality photos for the time and hosted political, religious, and cultural debates. Cartoons and caricatures were common, often targeting China’s leader Mao Zedong.

Takla led the magazine until December 1971. His most notable pieces came in the August-September 1969 issues about the Panchen Lama’s escape from China, the Chinese government’s response, and its critics.

Although published in English, the monthly had limited circulation and by late 1971 faced financial trouble. The Tibetan-language paper Sheja faced similar issues.

Takla appealed to the Tibetan government and the Dalai Lama. His request was taken seriously, and support followed. An Information Office was created, and the Tibetan Review and Sheja were moved to Dharamsala (home of the 14th Dalai Lama). Both offices shared a building, and staff changes were made. In January 1972, Tenzin Namgyal Tethong, founder and chief editor of Sheja, became interim editor-in-chief, and Tamdin D. Gyalpo became executive editor.


Tethong, a founder of the Tibetan Youth Congress and Dalai Lama associate, was known to be passing through. In May 1972, he left for the U.S. as the Tibetan government`s representative. Gyalpo took over but only until June 1972.

The Editorial Team Wants Independence

With two major media outlets in hand, the government hoped to create its executive branch and to some degree succeeded. Both teams included young Tibetans committed to a free Tibet, children of the 1959 resistance fighters. Among them was 24-year-old writer and St. Stephen’s College graduate Dawa T. Norbu, who took over the Tibetan Review in June 1972 and held the role until September 1976.

Norbu’s view of Tibet differed from his predecessors. He was an intellectual, not a Buddhist theologian. Though religion mattered, the Review began featuring more science, technology, and intellectual analysis. In 1973, Norbu moved the office to New Delhi and secured editorial independence from his government.

Over the years, the Tibetan Review became a discussion forum on all matters relating to Tibet, its global role, and its people`s awareness. But it also began covering broader global issues beyond the China-Tibet conflict.

Norbu consciously tried to shape a new generation - born in Tibet but raised and educated in forced exile. He aimed to inspire young people to think beyond everyday survival. These pioneering efforts were supported by Tsering Wangyal, a history graduate from the University of Bristol. When Norbu left for doctoral studies in the U.S. in 1976, Wangyal took over the editorship and continued his vision for the next 20 years.

From 1976 to 1996, under Wangyal’s leadership, the Tibetan Review reached the global stage:

• it became a worldwide platform
• it contributed to the global Tibetan movement
• it shifted international opinion in Tibet’s favor
• it became a reliable news source

The favorite phrase among Tibetans at the time was: China has the People’s Liberation Army, and we have our Tibetan Review.

The Editor-Friend Read Around the World

Tsering Wangyal, with his light touch and sharp wit, quickly won readers’ hearts. He was called the Editor-Friend. Tibetans from across the globe wrote to him, and he gave voice to their concerns in the pages of the Review. His humorous editorials became legendary.

He also did what his predecessors never dared - he criticized the Tibetan government for inefficiency and neglect. He did it respectfully, as a true Tibetan would, but always based on verified facts. Reportedly, the Kashag ministers appreciated the value of such criticism.

The monthly developed a unique look. It didn’t compete with glossy magazines and resembled more of a bulletin. The cover always featured a photo or graphic of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital. The original title was placed in a circle beside the image. In the newer version, the magazine title appeared on the right side of the photo, in a different color each time. In the top-left corner: The Only Monthly Publication of News, Commentary, Book Reviews and Articles on all aspects of Tibet (Jedyna miesięczna publikacja wiadomości, komentarzy, recenzji książek i artykułów dotyczących wszystkich aspektów Tybetu). Below the photo, on a header-colored bar, were the date, issue number, and International Air Edition (Międzynarodowa edycja lotnicza). Below that, the main article titles were listed, with the editorial title at the bottom, corresponding to page two. A permanent section was the Tibet News column.


Tsering Wangyal’s office was a room in the Jor Bagh Hotel in Delhi. There, the small editorial team met. There, official meetings and banquets were held. There stood the famous Remington typewriter. On his blog Shadow Tibet, Jamyang Norbu described Wangyal:

Many remember the Editor, shirtless, hammering quickly and fluidly with two fingers on his Remington typewriter, creating spontaneous, fiery editorials that delighted the public and unsettled the authorities.

The government kept its word, and the editorial team remained independent. Debates in the Review featured voices from opposing parties, movements, and cultures.

Farewell to Wangyal

Tsering Wangyal frequently visited the U.S. In 1986, thanks to the Alfred Friendly Press Fellowship, he completed a six-month internship (May-December) at the Patriot Ledger in Quincy. That experience proved valuable during his later leadership of the Review. He resigned in August 1996. Before stepping down, he slightly modified the magazine’s layout - changing the front page and introducing a new font. In his final editorial in the September issue, he said goodbye to the readers:

I am leaving the Tibetan Review for personal reasons. The new editor is Mr. Pema Thinley, former editor-in-chief of the Tibetan Bulletin, Dharamsala. I take this opportunity to thank all the correspondents and collaborators who helped me maintain the journal over the years. I’m also grateful to our readers for their patience and support. I ask everyone to show the same kindness and cooperation to the new editor. Thank you all.

He later moved to Canada, where he published his final book. He passed away on November 24, 2000, at the age of 51, as a reporter and editor for an entire generation of Tibetan exiles.

During Wangyal’s six-month absence, Lhasang Tsering served as acting editor-in-chief. He was the former director of the Tibetan Children’s Village, founder of Tibetan schools in Ladakh and Bylakuppe, and had joined the Information Office (at the Dalai Lama’s request) in 1983. He led the Narthang publication project, the computerization of the Tibetan language, and a new typeface for printed materials.

After Wangyal’s departure, Pema Thinley took over the Tibetan Review in October 1996. Like his two predecessors, Thinley valued honesty and integrity, regardless of whom it affected. His main opponent became the government-in-exile. His criticism of Dalai Lama’s ministers was a problem since the Review was still government-funded. Thinley aimed to change that. He faced officials, but had the support of the Tibetan community, who saw the situation as abnormal.

Efforts took nearly three years, and the April 1999 issue marked the first in years to hold the status of an independent publication. At the same time, the Tibetan Review Trust Society (Trust Society) was established as its sole source of funding.

A Small but Organized Editorial Team. Now Only Online

Graphic artists are a key part of the Review’s core team. Cartoons and humor have appeared in the magazine since its beginning. Thinley brought in native artists like Losang Gyatso, Jamyang Phuntsok, and more recently Tendor, whose works appear in the Tibetan Rearview section.

For years, Bhuchung K. Tsering supported Pema Thinley through commentary and opinion. In 1995, he joined the International Campaign for Tibet in Washington, sending his articles from there. He was previously a journalist for the Indian Express and Dalai Lama’s envoy to Switzerland. He worked toward an understanding with China. But politics wasn’t his only focus - he dedicated much time to Tibetan culture, its creators (TR June and August 1999), ethnic issues (TR May 2003), and social matters (TR November 2003). His articles formed the backbone of the Of People & Places (People and Places) column. At that time, the Review’s modest editorial team also included:

• PD Lungmoche - assistant editor
• Karma Monlam - circulation chief
• Amji Tsering Dhondup - Dharamsala region reporter

In addition, an Advisory Board operated:

• Lodi G. Gyari (former editor-in-chief, politician)
• Tenzin Namgyal Tethong (former editor-in-chief, politician)
• Jan Andersson (writer, Tibet expert)
• Tenzing Chhodak (education, schooling, Tibet)
• Marcia Calkowski (culture, anthropology, Tibetan culture expert)

Pema Thinley carried the Tibetan Review from the 20th century into the new millennium, in which Tibet still fights for its rights. Today, the magazine`s reach is far greater than it was in 1967. The internet has brought its messages, ideas, and opinions to the ends of the earth. Thinley embraced these technological marvels, and in 2008, the Review went online. It’s now available on Facebook (2014), Twitter (2013), and Instagram, with a mobile version too.


Like all print newspapers, it had its struggles. In 2018, print was suspended for financial reasons. Though the website still states:

Our online publication will periodically deliver updates on major Tibet-related events. The print version remains foundational for many reasons, including the fact that many readers either don’t use the internet or don’t have access to it.

the print version remains unavailable. The Review, now hosted online, has become a near-daily publication - because Tibetan Review holds value far beyond immediate news needs; it’s a vital archival source for present and future Tibet scholars.

All Tibetan news and issues are divided into 8 categories:

• Home - global news
• Outside Tibet - all things exile: government, Dalai Lama, society
• Tibet News - news from Tibet
• China Watch - news from China
• Sino-India - the ongoing India-China conflict
• Opinions - all opinions on Tibet, even from those outside the Review
• Reviews - reviews of books, films, music. It even included a review of Olga Tokarczuk’s The Books of Jacob
• Interviews - updated occasionally but...

Some interviews are reprints from other sources (May 20, 2014), others are by contributors unaffiliated with the magazine, like writer Tenzin Dickie (interview with writer Bhuchung D. Sonam, July 19, 2017).

Some were conducted by Tibetan Review’s managing editor Gelek Namgyal. Some focused on politics, such as the one with Claude Arpi on November 12, 2017, an expert on Tibetan-Chinese and India-France relations. Others were about culture and heritage, like the August 27, 2014 interview with Jamyang Dorjee Chakrishar, a pioneer of Tibetan calligraphy.

Anniversary of Tibet’s Emissary

January 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of the Review (counting from when it adopted the name Tibetan Review). A special issue was published in March, dedicated to Dawa Norbu, the fourth editor-in-chief, a writer and pioneer of innovative approaches to Tibetan exile life. It featured speeches and papers from a symposium in his honor hosted by Tibet Forum-JNU. The cover was designed by Tibetan artist Chung Tsering.

In 2019, as everywhere else, the COVID-19 pandemic broke out and was used by the Chinese government for further repression in Tibet. The prolonged lockdown and its harsh enforcement led to rebellion after two years. On October 27, 2022, protests erupted in Lhasa - the first since 2008 (marking the 49th anniversary of the anti-Chinese uprising`s suppression). About 200 people were arrested. Cut off from the world, many still lack food, medicine, and other necessities. The Review reported on the protest, shared opinions and commentary, and stood by the protestors.


Tibetan Review was - and still is - Tibet’s emissary. All content relates to this cause. A large and detailed section is devoted to the Dalai Lama, his life, travels, meetings, speeches, and Dharamsala, his residence. The Review continues to report on the spiritual leader’s life.

Next year, in 2023, marks Tibetan Review’s 55th anniversary. This small:

• Pema Thinley, editor-in-chief
• Gelek Namgyal, managing editor

but committed team with minimal staff and no social benefits plays a key role not only in the development of Tibetan democracy in exile but also in helping promote more informed views among people around the world who see Tibet in one way or another.

Here, information is carefully verified, details well understood. As a result, the coverage is trustworthy, objective, balanced, and thorough. The articles are written by the most qualified people in their fields. Keep it up, gentlemen Editors.

Tibetan Review Timeline

• 1967, April - The Voice of Tibet is launched
• 1968, January - Name changed to Tibetan Review
• 1971 - financial troubles bring the Review under the Dalai Lama’s wing in Dharamsala
• 1973 - the editorial office moves to Delhi
• 1996 - magazine layout changes (new font and layout)
• 1999, April - first issue in years as an independent publication
• 1999 - Tibetan Review Trust Society established as funding source
• 2008 - Tibetan Review goes online
• 2018, March - special edition celebrating the 50th anniversary
• 2018 - print edition suspended

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