On April 27th, 1998, the patriot Thupten Ngodup set himself on fire in Delhi, and died for the cause of Tibetan independence. Exactly ten years later to the day, on April 27th, 2008, in New York City the Tibetan Independence Torch was lit by Gyen Palden Gyatso and handed to me. As the first runner I jogged down Broadway with the torch raised high.