Faculty and Staff
of Namgyal Ithaca

Geshe Lobsang Dhondup was born on the 15th of August 1974 in Orissa, India. He studied in the local primary school to the age of twelve. Geshe Lobsang Dhondup joined Sera Mey Mopnastery in Bylakuppe, South India where began his basic monastic education including Tibetan grammar and script, memorization of Buddhist scriptures. While completing the Buddhist Sutra and Tantric courses such as Pharchin, Uma Dua Ngompa Zoeand Sang-ngag he spent much of his time offering voluntary classes to the lower grades in the same Monastery.

From the yerar 2006 to 2012 he immersed himself in his studies. During this six year period he astoundingly completed his Karam ( Bachelors in Buddhist Philosophy, Lopon (Master in Buddhist Philosophy) and Geshe Lhaam (Doctorate in Buddhist Philosophy) degrees securing first division in every field. Geshe Lobsang Dhondup presented his Geshe Lharam Oral examination in presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

He spent two years in Gyurmed Monastery studying Sangag Gyundy Shi and obtained an additional honorary degree of Geshe Ngagram ( Master of Trantrayana).

After completing this additional degree Geshe Lobsang Dhondup returned to Sera Mey monastery and taught Buddhist Philosophy to the younger monks for three years and at present he is teaching faculty at Namgyal Monastery – Tantric College in Dharamsala, India.

At the age of 16 Venerable Tenzin Choesang became a monk at Namgyal Monastery, the personal Monastery of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. There he studied with Gen Lobsang Nyima, the 100th throne holder of Je Rinpoche (Lama Tsong- khapa). After finishing his examination of Master of Buddhist Sutra and Tantra in the year 2000 the Abbot of Namgyal Monastery selected him to be a teacher of Namgyal Monastery students. He taught Namgyal Monastery students both Sutra and Tantra for five years. From 2002-2005 he held several positions within the monastery including education director. Tenzin Choesang has taught and studied at many places across India and around the world. Currently Venerable Tenzin Choesang is the Board President of the Namgyal Monastery, Ithaca, New York and the Buddhist Chaplain at Cornell University.

Venerable Lobsang Choegyal was born in April 10th 1975 in Mussorie, Uttar Prasesh, India where he went to school. He joined Namgyal monastery in the year 1990, Memorizing the classical texts for Guhayasamaja, Heruka, Yamantaka, Kalachakra and pujas related with Dharma protectors the three jewels. He also studied Buddhist dialectic studies. He has completed thirteen years of study in both the Sutra and Tantric Texts and in 2008 he completed his studies and got Master Degree of Buddhist Sutra and Tantra.

He is trained in the creation of the mandalas for Kalachakra, Yamantaka, Heruka, Guhayasamaja, and Vajrakilaya. He is also trained in ritual cymbals and dance, butter sculpture and chanting. He then went to the Namgyal Monastery branch in Boddhagaya for 3 years and next assumed responsibility as a teacher of Namgyal Monastery monk students for 3 years in Dharamsala.

Venerable Tenzin Gechey – Teacher, was born in Dharamsala, in the year May 10th, 1973. Venerable Tenzin Gechey was ordained at Namgyal Monastery as a novice monk at the age of 10. He undertook the study of chanting and memorizing the texts of Guhyasamaja, Yamantaka, Kalachakra etc. He learned sand painting and built many sand mandalas, he is very talented and skillful in making the Sand Mandalas and performing ritual dances.

Along with these, he studied the great Treatises of Buddhist Philosophy and Sutra and Tantra for 13 years under its many resident spiritual masters and received his Master degree in Buddhist Sutra and Tantra in the year 2003. He has been to different places as the entourage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In June 2011he has been to US to perform the Kalachakra rituals and dances during the Kalachakra Initiation by His Holiness the Dalai Lama for World Peace in Washington, D.C. At present he is resident teacher at Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies, Ithaca, New York.

Mr. Ngawang Dhondup was born in Western Tibet, in a small village called Tholing. With the grace of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, he completed his High School and college degrees in India where he was awarded the equivalent of a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

Mr. Ngawang Dhondup worked in the Central Tibetan Administration of H.H the Dalai Lama under the Department of Home for 25 years in different position and responsibilities from 1982 to 2006-such as Settlement officer, Chairman of Co-operative Societies, Vice Chairman of Settlement Schools, Chairman of Settlement Hospitals, Vice-Chairman of Indo-Tibetan Association in Settlements, Local Tibetan Election Commissioner, local justice commissioner in settlements, head of welfare division at Department of Home and Chief Executive Officer- CEO of the Federation of Tibetan Co-operative societies in India, Ltd.

Since 2007, he has served as Administrator of Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies,Ithaca, New York.

Palden Choedak Oshoe was born in Bumthang, a small town towards the east of Bhutan. He was raised early on in Tibetan Children’s Villages, a school established primarily for Tibetan children under the altruistic leadership of Ama Jetsun Pema la supported by the grace and kindness of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. After graduation from high school he eventually became the monastic translator for the Namgyal Monastery, the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Ithaca, New York.