“Please inform Mao Zedong that no, we do not want Peking or Shanghai, give us back Chamdo” -Lhukhangwa Tsewang Rabten, September 1951. He is remembered for his legendary acts of courage and defiance. 

Lhukhangwa Tsewang Rabten is a folk hero to the Tibetans. He was the joint Prime Minister of Tibet from 1950 to 1952 when the CCP China began its occupation in Tibet. He ignored an order to fly China‘s flag over the Potala; he demanded the withdrawal of the PLA from Lhasa and refused to meet demand of vast amount of food for occupying Chinese troops that would have left Tibetans close to starvation.

In 1957, Lukhangwa left Tibet to go into exile at Kalimpong, India, where he continued to work for Tibet’s cause. Video (no sound): Lukhangwa meeting IndiraGandhi, then President of the All India Congress Committee.

In 1959, when DalaiLama escaped Tibet, Lukhangwa came to receive him. In exile, Lukhangwa served as PrimeMinister of Tibetan Government-in-exile until his retirement. Video shows Lukhangwa at Tezpur, India to receive Dalai Lama, 1959.