Dharamshala: Kalon Choekyong Wangchuk, Department of Health, CTA on Tuesday condoled the demise of the former personal physician of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and renowned Tibetan doctor Yeshi Dhonden who breathed his last at his residence in Mcleodganj at 2:53 AM today.

On behalf of the Department of Health, Kalon Choekyong Wangchuk extended his deepest prayers and condolences to Dr Dhonden’s family and friends.

The 93 years old Padma Shri awardee was renowned for his traditional Cancer treatment and served as personal physician to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for almost twenty years, from 1960 to 1980.

Dr Yeshi Dhonden was born on 15 May 1927 to a peasants family in the village of Namro in central Tibet’s Lhoga District. He entered monastic life when he was six years old and, from the age of 12, studied at Lhasa Men Tsee Khang under, among other teachers, his uncle the famous Tibetan doctor and teacher Khenrab Norbu, passing his exams with distinction at the age of 20.

In 1959, Dr Yeshi Dhonden accompanied His Holiness the Dalai Lama when he fled the Chinese invasion of Tibet. In India, Dr Yeshi Dhonden was instrumental in the founding of the Tibetan Medical and Astro-science Institute (Men-Tsee Khang) in Dharamshala. From 1960–80, he served as personal physician to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and also held office as both director and principal of Men-Tsee Khang until 1969. He continued to practice medicine from a small private clinic he established in Dharamsala in 1969 until his retirement earlier this year.

On 20 March 2018, the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, conferred the Padma Shri of Medicine to Dr Yeshi Dhonden at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for his contributions in the field of medicine through Sowa Rigpa, the traditional Tibetan medicine. Padma Shri is the fourth-highest civilian award in India. Dr Dhonden officially retired from medical practise on 1 April 2019 due to advancing age and health reasons.