Tibetan Uprising

Prime Minister Singh personally pinned the prestigious Adhran Suraksha Sewa Paman Patra to Sopa’s chest for his brave actions during the battle of Tiger Hill in the Kargil War in 1999. In the battle on the Pakistan border, he destroyed two enemy bunkers. “Bhadur”(Nepali for “Brave Man”) was a member of the elite Tibetan wing of the Indian Army named the Special Frontier Force (SFF).

He spent twelve years in the army and only regretted not being able to participate in Tibetan freedom marches during that time. The March to Tibet was Sopa’s first opportunity, and he knew right away that he would go. The 33-year-old Karnataka native dropped plans to finally visit New York City to see his sister and left his business so he could march home. He says, “Being a Tibetan, it is my duty to get Freedom for Tibet. If I do not, who will?”