Biography of my DAD

My dad’s name is Mr. Pema Gyatso. He was born in February 24, 1941, in a place called Kham. Right now he is 68 years old. I choose to write about my dad because he is very inspirational person for me. He is a very encouraging person and I really love him.

My dad has struggled a lot in his life. He is a very determined person. He did everything to make mine and my brother’s life better and our future brighter. Long ago after my country was captured, my dad escaped to India with a lot of obstacles on the way. He struggled a lot for food, water, shelter and so on. He never lost his hope and at last he reached his destiny to India. When he reached India, he didn’t have work to do, so some of my dad’s chaps suggested him to join in Indian Army. He joined Indian army to survive, if he didn’t join the Indian Army may be he would have died because at that time there was no work for people who can’t speak Indian language of any other languages. In the camp also he struggled a lot. Luckily,in the camp there were some other refugees. So he found some friends to have fun with. He had been to a lot of wars like with Pakistani armies. In the battle field he struggled and suffered a lot. He lost some of his friends in the battle field. He learned a lot of things in the Indian Army Camp such as sports. He is very good at sports and he won a lot of prizes in different sports. After doing a lot of struggle in the Indian army, he met my mum and they got married. He left the Indian Army and came to Nepal.

In Nepal too, his battle to life did not end. He worked in a school called Srongtsen Bhrikuti Boarding School where he worked as a cook. After that he worked in another school called Namgyal High school and he was a warden there. In both schools,he did really a hard work. Many people dominated him because he was not educated and still he didn’t lose his hope and he worked very hard to survive as well as to make my brother’s and my life better. He admitted my brother and me in Srongtsen School. In Srongtsen school, my brother and I had really a difficult time. Many kids dominated us and some people called my brother chicken. I don’t know the reason why they called him with that nickname. When I was small, some kids used to beat me and there was nothing I could do except crying. I still remember that moment so clearly. My school was so far from my home and at lunch break, my dad used to bring lunch for my brother and me and sometimes he used to come late. That time we had to stay at the gate looking at other rich kids eating their lunch with their parents. My dad used to come on a bicycle with a tiffin box. He used to come riding for an hour and he was so tired by the time he reached us. When my school finished, sometimes he would reach in time but sometimes he used to be late because of his job. In this way, his struggling periods never ends. After he lost his jobs from both schools (Srongtsen and Namgyal), he found another job in this school (SMD) as a sports teacher. Though he is 68 years old, still he works and plays very actively and he is a very healthy looking man. My dad doesn’t have any relatives here in Nepal or in his country. He has some brothers but they don’t want to keep relations with my dad. My mum has a cousin who is a nun. My dad and my mom’s parents are no more in this world.

My dad has had so many things in his life and from the struggles, he learned a lot of lessons about life. And from my dad, my brother and I learned many things. He is the most amazing dad for me. He always teaches us to learn good things and gives advice to go on a right track. He encourages us a lot to do many things and he sacrificed a lot of things in his life just for my brother and me. When my brother and I do something wrong, he tells us his life story which is very touching. It makes us cry everytime listening to his story. Though his life has become difficult, he still says that he hasn’t lost his hope. He always hopes that one day, my brother and I would do something beneficial for others. His life taught me not to lose hope and to be strong to fight against obstacles that come through our lives.

By Tenzin Yangzom B036a

This story has been edited to protect the family. sb