Obituary: Central Tibetan Administration Holds a Prayer Service to Mourn the Demise of Former Kalon Tsering Dhondup Yangdhar

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Central Tibetan Administration Holds a Prayer Service to Mourn the Demise of Former Kalon Tsering Dhondup Yangdhar

Dharamshala: The leadership and staff of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) held a prayer service this afternoon to mourn the passing of former Kalon (Minister) Tsering Dhondup Yangdhar, who passed away at his residence in Dharamshala on the morning of 7 September 2025 after a prolonged illness.

The late Kalon Tsering Dhondup dedicated over 30 years of exemplary service to the Central Tibetan Administration, serving both as a civil servant and as Kalon for the Department of Finance under two successive Kashags. He also briefly served as Kalon of the Department of Security.

The prayer service was attended by the leadership and staff, after which the CTA offices were closed in honour of the departed.

Brief Biography:

Former Kalon Tsering Dhondup Yangdhar was born on 1 July 1960 in Rongshar to Dorjee and Tsering Palzom. He completed his primary and secondary education at the Central School for Tibetans in Mussoorie (now known as Sambhota Tibetan School, Mussoorie). He later earned a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Chandigarh University and a Master’s degree in Commerce from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, between 1983 and 1992. In 1994, he completed further studies in Business Administration at Montana University in the United States.

He began his career in the CTA on 1 December 1984 as a Senior Clerk in the Office of the Auditor General. He was promoted to Deputy Secretary on 2 July 1991 and to Joint Secretary on 1 June 1993.

On 1 April 1998, he was promoted to Additional Secretary and subsequently transferred to the Department of Education. He became Secretary of the Department of Education on 7 July 2000 and later served as Secretary of the Department of Home from 12 April 2002.

After 22 years of dedicated service, he was appointed Kalon of the Department of Finance in October 2007 under the 13th Kashag, and again in September 2011 under the 14th Kashag. Additionally, he served briefly as Kalon of the Department of Security from 6 April to 26 May 2016.

Tsering Dhondup passed away at 8:13 AM on 7 September 2025 at his residence in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala. He is survived by his wife, a son, and a daughter.