The Department of Religion and Culture is the central administrative body responsible for overseeing religious and cultural affairs within the Tibetan exile community. It supervises initiatives aimed at revitalizing, preserving, and promoting Tibetan religious and cultural heritage. Initially established as the Council for Religious Affairs office on April 27, 1959, it comprised representatives from the four Buddhist schools as its principal members, located in Mussoorie. On May 30, 1960, the office shifted its base to Dharamsala, and on September 12, 1960, it was formally incorporated as one of the seven main departments of the CTA. Currently, the department oversees 253 monasteries and 36 nunneries spread across India, Nepal, and Bhutan and five cultural institutions in India.
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Name: Yeshi Tsomo
Place and Date of Birth: Diru/1993
Yeshi Tsomo comes from a poor farming family in Diru, Tibet. She spent three years as a nun at a nunnery. Due to the oppressive religious crackdown imposed by the Chinese government, she fled to India. Yeshi joined Geden Choeling Nunnery to further her religious studies.
Name: Norkyi Dolma
Place and Date of Birth: Theu Dzong/1991
Norkyi Dolma is from Theu Dzong, Tibet. She attended primary school for two years and later studied at a local nunnery for a decade. After fleeing to India, she attended the Tibetan Transit School for two years. Subsequently she joined the Geden Choeling Nunnery to continue her Buddhist studies.
Name: Tenzin
Place and Date of Birth: Dingri/1996
Tenzin was born into a farmer’s family in Dingri, western Tibet. She spent her early days in the village, primarily engaged in household chores. Subsequently, she escaped to India and joined a school where she pursued studies for two years before becoming a nun at the Geden Choeling Nunnery.
Name: Tenzin Choekyi
Place and Date of Birth: Diru/1995
Tenzin Choekyi hails from a semi-nomadic family in Diru Dzong, Tibet. She spent most of her time in the village assisting her parents in the field and the pastures. Upon fleeing to India, she briefly attended the Tibetan Transit School in Dharamsala before joining the Geden Choeling Nunnery to study Buddhist Philosophy.
name: Kalsang Lhamo
Place and Date of Birth: Dingri/1997
Kalsang Lhamo comes from a peasant family in Dingri, western Tibet, where she assisted her parents with farming and household tasks. After escaping to India, she attended school for a year before becoming a nun of the Geden Choeling Nunnery.
Name: Gyaltsen Dolma
Place and Date of Birth: Nangchu/1994
Gyaltsen Dolma hails from a nomadic family in Nagchu, Tibet. Prior to fleeing into India, she spent six years studying at a nearby nunnery. Upon arriving in India, she attended the Tibetan Transit School for six months before joining Geden Choeling Nunnery.