Dharamshala: Secretary Dhondul Dorjee of the Department of Religion and Culture (CTA) attended the enthronement ceremony of Tehor Geshe Lharampa Thupten Tsephel as the new abbot of Geden Choeling Nunnery on 8 April 2026.

Geshe Lharampa Thupten Tsephel was born in 1968 into the Dovar Tsang family in Dovar Village, which falls under the jurisdiction of Lha Monastery, a branch monastery of the Tashi Yangkhyil Monastery in Dragyab, Kham. He is the son of Gyal Gyal and Tsedon.

At the age of 14, he became a novice monk under his teacher, and at 16, he received full ordination, taking the monastic name Choechok Tsultrim. He joined Lhomlha Monastery and, from the age of 10 to 18, relied on his spiritual teacher, Lamrim Lama Loten. During this period, he received repeated initiations (Wang), scriptural transmissions (Lung), and oral instructions (Men-ngag), including teachings on the “Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment” (Lamrim Chenmo) from the renowned Tantric master Jamyang Tashi.

In 1989, he enrolled at Gaden Jampa Ling Monastery in Chamdo, where he studied for about four years under several eminent teachers. These included the Abbot of the Monastery, Jampa Chodrak Palzangpo; the learned master Muge Samten, Geshe Doga and other respected teachers such as Venerable Sherab, Jampa Yonten, Jampa Kalden, Gyaltsen Rabten, and Nyakden. Under their guidance, he completed the introductory curriculums of dialectical disputation and other Tibetan Buddhist monastic education. He also received numerous empowerments, oral transmissions, and instructions.

In 1991, at the age of 23, he received full monastic vows from Kyabje Jetsun Jampa Choedak. Two years later, in 1993, he came to India and joined Sera Monastery, where he studied under the guidance of distinguished spiritual masters, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Kyabje Choden Rinpoche, Venerable Orgyen Tseten, former abbots Lobsang Thupten and Lobsang Palden, Venerable Trinley Dorje, Teacher Lobsang Tsering, and Venerable elder Lozang Drime.

From 2008, over a period of about 17 years, he pursued advanced studies based on the monastic college curriculum, focusing on the five great treatises. In 2009, he joined Gelugpa University, where he undertook six years of advanced Buddhist philosophical studies until 2014. During this time, he completed two-year Karampa, Lopon, and Lharampa degrees. On 1 December 2014, he successfully completed his Geshe examination.

On 5 March 2015, he passed the rigorous final examinations held during the Monlam Chenmo at Drepung Monastery. Later, on 25 March 2015, he joined Gyuto Tantric Monastery. There, while pursuing regular studies of tantric, he further studied other interpretations of Vajrayana texts from Khen Rinpoche Jado Chokdrul Rinpoche and Geshe Khedup Norsang.

In 2017, in accordance with the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, he served as a Philosophical teacher at the Bandra Norgyeling Tibetan Settlement for one year, during which he delivered 38 introductory teachings on Buddhism for the public and carried out various religious responsibilities. From 2018 to 2021, he served as the monastery’s librarian for three years. He is currently serving as the abbot of Geden Choeling Nunnery.

– Report filed by Department of Religion and Culture, CTA