By IANS,
Dharamsala : Tibetans-in-exile Friday described Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu, who died in a helicopter crash last weekend, as their friend and remembered his contribution to improving the lives of the exiles settled in the state.
“My colleagues in the Kashag (cabinet) join me in mourning the tragic demise of Dorjee Khandu. We offer our deepest condolences to his family members,” prime minister-in-exile Samdhong Rinpoche said in a message sent to the state chief secretary.
“We Tibetans will particularly remain grateful to Khandu for contributing to improving the lives of the Tibetan refugees in the state and ushering harmony between the Tibetan refugees and the people of Arunachal.”
“In the tragic death, the people of Arunachal lost an outstanding chief minister, and Tibetans a dear friend,” said Rinpoche.
In May 2008, Khandu visited Dharamsala to extend formal invitation to spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to inaugurate a multi-specialty hospital at Tawang.
The Nobel laureate had visited Tawang at the invitation of Khandu in November 2009. He inaugurated a hospital there, for which he contributed Rs.2 million.