Pinky Haryan, once a child beggar from McLeodganj in Dharamsala, Kangra district, has transformed her life with the help of a Tibetan monk named Jamyang. Growing up in extreme poverty, she used to beg alongside her mother near the Buddha temple during festival seasons. However, through Jamyang’s guidance and the support of the Tonglen Charitable Trust, Pinky is now a qualified doctor, having earned her MBBS degree from a prestigious Chinese university.

Pinky recalls the turning point in her life when she and her mother Krishna were begging near the temple in 2004. It was during this time that Jamyang, a Tibetan monk, noticed her. After seeing her on multiple occasions, Jamyang visited the Charan Khad slum, where Pinky and her family lived in dire conditions. The slum was home to many families who survived by begging or picking garbage on the streets.

Jamyang approached Pinky’s father, Kashmiri Lal, who worked as a cobbler polishing shoes, and encouraged him to send Pinky to a hostel that he had recently opened for underprivileged children. The hostel was part of the Tonglen Charitable Trust, which Jamyang had established to educate and care for children from the slums of Dharamsala. After some hesitation, Pinky’s parents finally agreed, trusting the monk to provide a better future for their daughter.

Pinky was among the first group of children to be admitted to the hostel, which was located in Sarah village, near Dharamsala. She recalls that at first, it was difficult for her to adjust, as she missed her family and the familiarity of home. However, over time, she grew fond of the environment and bonded with the other children. Jamyang noticed her academic potential early on and supported her through her schooling. Pinky passed Class XII with excellent grades and successfully cleared the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), a requirement for admission to medical schools in India.

Although Pinky qualified for admission to private medical colleges in India, the high fees posed a significant obstacle. Determined not to let financial constraints stand in her way, Jamyang found an alternative. In 2018, he helped her secure admission to a well-regarded medical university in China, where the costs were more manageable. After six years of rigorous study, Pinky recently returned to Dharamsala as a fully qualified doctor.

Pinky’s story is a testament to the life-changing work of Jamyang and the Tonglen Charitable Trust. The monk, who escaped from Tibet in 1992 and came to India via Nepal, has dedicated his life to uplifting children from the slums of Dharamsala. After receiving spiritual training in Tibetan camps in Karnataka, Jamyang returned to Dharamsala in 2001. He was deeply moved by the poverty he encountered, particularly among the children living in the slums near the Charan rivulet.

Jamyang began working with British philanthropists and started helping poor families, particularly those whose children were forced into begging or rag-picking to survive. His initial attempts to teach the children were met with resistance from their parents, who feared losing the little income their children brought in. To overcome this challenge, Jamyang offered food and clothing to the parents in exchange for allowing their children to attend school.

Through persistent efforts, Jamyang eventually succeeded in gaining the trust of the families. Over the years, his charitable work has helped many children who once lived on the streets and picked garbage to become professionals in various fields. Today, graduates of the Tonglen Trust include doctors, engineers, journalists, and hotel managers. Pinky Haryan is just one of the many success stories that have emerged from Jamyang’s lifelong mission to uplift the poor.

According to Prof. Ajay Srivastava, president of the Umang Foundation in Shimla, who has been closely associated with the Tonglen Trust for nearly two decades, Jamyang’s goal is not just to educate the children but to shape them into good human beings. His philosophy is to foster compassion and empathy, ensuring that the children grow up to contribute positively to society rather than being solely focused on making money.

Pinky, now a doctor, expresses her gratitude to Jamyang for his unwavering support. She says that without his intervention, her life would have taken a very different course. Now, she is eager to give back and serve other underprivileged children who, like her, face immense challenges due to poverty. Her story symbolizes the power of compassion, dedication, and the belief that education can change lives.

Jamyang continues to work tirelessly, helping more children in the Dharamsala slums, despite the initial challenges he faced in winning over the community. His efforts have transformed not only the lives of the children he has helped but also the communities they come from. Today, the Tonglen Charitable Trust stands as a beacon of hope for those seeking a way out of the cycle of poverty and hopelessness.

Input from various sources

(Rehash/Yash Kamble/MSM)