Sad news to share that a senior aide of the Dalai Lama has passed away.
Exile administration mourns Ven. Tarha Tenzin Choenyi’s demise
Phayul[Monday, January 14, 2013 20:58]
Late Ven. Tarha Tenzin Choenyi (1920-2013)
DHARAMSHALA, January 14: One of the longest serving officials of the Tibetan government and a close aide of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Ven. Tarha Tenzin Choenyi breathed his last in the exile headquarters of Dharamshala today.
The Kashag and the Central Tibetan Administration expressed its “deep condolences” over the sad demise of Ven. Tarha Tenzin Choenyi, a former civil servant of the erstwhile Ganden Phodrang Chogley Namgyal Government of Tibet.
As a mark of respect, the CTA held a prayer service in the afternoon at 3 pm, following which all offices remained closed.
Ven Tarha Tenzin Choenyi was born in the Kharkha Tarha household of Gyaltse dzong in 1920 and joined the administrative services of the erstwhile Tibetan government in 1935.
In 1947, he was one of the foremost officials investigating the political crisis of the time and later took key responsibilities during His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s brief stay in Dromo in 1951 following Chinese threat.
In 1952, he was appointed as a staff in the Tibetan foreign office in Beijing, where he served for about 7 months. He was also a member of the organising committee of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to Beijing in 1954-55.
Following the March 1959 Tibetan National Uprising, Ven. Tarha Tenzin Cheonyi came into exile in India with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
He began his services in the Private Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from January 1, 1960, and served in various capacities, most notably as Secretary of His Holiness.
He officially retired in 2001 but continued to provide his services as an advisor till January 1, 2012.
“Ven. Tarha Tenzin Choenyi has wholeheartedly dedicated more than 53 years of his life towards the service of Tibet,” the CTA noted.
