Tibetans record better life expectancy

Healthy ageing: Sonam Drolma, 109, talking with her great- granddaughters in Reguo village of Gyaca county in Shannan, Tibet autonomous region. — Xinhua

LHASA: Life expectancy in the Tibet autonomous region rose last year to a record 72.19 years – a giant leap from 1951, when average life expectancy was only 35.5 years, according to the region’s government.

In 1951, the harsh environment of high-altitude Tibet made life a day-to-day struggle.