From living on the streets to donning doc’s coat, D’shala woman turns over a new leaf

Once roaming the streets of Mcleodganj begging for money, Pinky Haryan will soon don a doctor’s coat, fulfilling a life-long dream.

Two decades ago, Pinky and her mother, Krishna, were struggling to make ends meet and begging in Mcleodganj. Their plight caught the attention of Jamyang, founder of Tong-Len Charitable trust who, a few days visited the Slum of Charan Khad (near Dharamshala) where they lived and requested her parents to send herto his newly started hostel of Tong-Len Trust.

After some hesitation, Pinky’s parents agreed to Jamyang’s request to enrol her in the hostel, which marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life. “I was in the first batch of children admitted to the hostel,” Pinky recalls, adding, “At first, I cried a lot and missed my family, but gradually, I found joy among my new friends.”

“In 2004, when I was just four, my life took a turn. My mother and I often spent our days begging on the streets of McLeodganj where we would see monks from the main temple of His Holiness The Dalai Lama’s temple distributing biscuits, fruits, and bread. These simple, humble items were more than just food—they were a symbol of kindness and hope during challenging times,” she says.

Later that year, she was selected to join the Tong-Len hostel, becoming part of the very first batch of students.

There, Pinky excelled in her studies, and set her sights on becoming a doctor, despite initially not fully understanding what that entailed. Monk Jamyang noted her remarkable aptitude for learning. Following her schooling, she cleared the NEET exam and was offered admission to a medical university in China in 2018, given that private college fees in India were prohibitive.

Tong-Len Charitable Trust (Charity Number 16284) was set up in December 2004 to support desperately poor communities in the Dharamsala area of Himachal Pradesh. Its prime focus has been in supporting the educational needs of the children from these communities. It has established its own school and provides hostel accommodation.

Now, back in Dharamshala with a six-year MBBS degree, Pinky reflects on her journey with pride. She helped her family break free from the cycle of begging; her mother has stopped begging, and her father transitioned from polishing shoes to selling sheets and carpets. Her siblings are also thriving in the Tong-Len School, inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in 2011.

Jamyang himself reflects on the unexpected talents he discovered in these children. “I initially thought I would only teach them basic literacy, but now these children are inspiring society with their achievements,” he says.

Ajay Srivastava, president of the Umang Foundation in Shimla and a long-time associate of Tonglen, said, “Instead of turning them into money-making machines, Jamyang inspires them to become good human beings. His dedication has transformed lives, with many former beggars now flourishing as doctors, engineers, and journalists.”