For Pema Tso, becoming the Health Minister of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) is more than a position—it is a deeply personal honour and a responsibility she never imagined she would one day carry. Coming from a nomad family, she never dreamed that her journey would lead her to become a minister. Yet, when the opportunity came, she accepted the responsibility with a deep sense of commitment, determined to bring her knowledge, experience, and dedication to serving the CTA and the Tibetan people. To Pema Tso, serving at a time when His Holiness the Dalai Lama is still with us makes the responsibility even more meaningful. She describes it as one of the greatest and happiest moments of her life. But behind this achievement lies a deeply emotional story about her family. Because of the distance and circumstances of exile, Pema Tso never had the opportunity to serve her parents in the way she wished. However, one moment with her father remains especially precious to her. When her father visited India, he told her: “Because of you, I am able to visit India. I never imagined that one day I would come here and have the opportunity to receive an audience with His Holiness.” Those words stayed with Pema Tso. Among all the things she has accomplished, being able to give her father the opportunity to come to India and receive an audience with His Holiness is something she considers deeply meaningful. It is a memory she will always treasure. For Pema Tso, life in exile has also come with another painful reality. She says that, regardless of what Tibetans do in exile—whether studying, receiving teachings from His Holiness, speaking Tibetan, or preserving their language, culture, and identity—the Chinese government continues to object. Her own journey has been no different. From working as a news reporter, to becoming a member of Parliament, and eventually serving as a Kalon, each step has carried its own challenges and consequences. Yet, living in a free country, Pema Tso says she is not afraid for herself. What worries her most is her family. The greatest difficulty of living in exile, she says, is the distance between her and her parents and other family members in Tibet—the inability to freely reach out, speak to them, or simply be there for them. For Pema Tso, her journey from a nomad family to becoming a Kalon is therefore not simply a story of personal achievement. It is a story of service, sacrifice, family, exile, and the enduring determination to serve the Tibetan people despite the challenges that come with it. Stories of Tibetans is an independent online project dedicated to documenting the lives, experiences, and contributions of Tibetans living across the diaspora. Documenting these stories is both meaningful and financially demanding. We would not be able to continue this work without the generous support of our patrons and individual supporters. We would therefore like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to: @thetibetfund @tenzintattooscafe @dolmasmomopoint @yewong.salon @tsaa.bakery.cafe And our individual patrons: @tlekmon @phuljung_tenzin If you see value in what we are doing and believe these stories deserve to be preserved and shared, you can become a part of our journey by becoming a patron. 📱 WhatsApp:+91 9882162770 📩 DM us for more information.