Invaded by the Chinese army in 1949, Tibet lost 1.2 million of its people, 20 percent of its total population, in the years of brutal persecutions that followed.

Over 100,000 Tibetan people have fled from their homeland into exile in India travelling through the icy Himalayan passes in the footsteps of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Unending streams of refugee continue to arrive from Tibet even today.

In the past, the Tibetan families had been able to support themselves and their less productive members by drawing income from livestock, agricultural produce or business ventures. Earning a livelihood today, however, has become extremely difficult:

Inside Tibet, the heavy concentration of Chinese population has exhausted traditional sources of income for Tibetans.

The harshness of living in exile, on the other hand, throws up many difficulties in earning a livelihood.

The burden of supporting non-productive members, in the face of such daunting challenges, places serious financial strain on families, making it highly difficult, if not impossible, to look after the handicapped children or older people.

In response to this need, the Tibetan Government-in-Exile has established a few old people’s homes in various settlements. However, apart from expressing sympathy to the handicapped, until now no centre has been established to provide them with care and vocational training.

In response to repeated appeals for such a facility from parents and others concerned with the plight of the handicapped, the Nyingtob Ling initiative was begun.