His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s ex physician, Venerable Dr. Yeshi Dhonden now becomes the second Tibetan to be honoured with India’s prestigious Padma Shri awards after his name was announce on the eve of 69th Republic day of India. The Tibetan monk healer is now the second Tibetan after Geshe Ngawang Samten to be honoured with India’s fourth highest civilian award.
Following the publication of the full list of winners of the Padma awards for 2018 by the Government of India, Tibetans started to convey their messages of gratitude and greetings to India and Dr. Dhonden respectively in the social media. The President of Central Tibetan Administration, Dr. Lobsang Sangay also congratulated the achievement through the official website of the Tibetan administration.
“We congratulate his personal contribution and recognition of Tibetan medicine which is now increasingly being discovered and treasured by the international community for its healing prowess,” President Dr Lobsang Sangay said from Europe.
Dr. Yeshi Dhonden, 90, who is a monk and a former physician to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for two decades is being conferred with Padma Shri Award 2018 for his contribution in treating thousands of patients through his herbal medicines and diet based on Sowa Rigpa, the Traditional Tibetan Medicine at his clinic located at Mcleod Ganj, Dharamshala.
Ven. Ngawang Samten is a Tibetan educationist, Tibetologist and the vice chancellor of the Central University for Tibetan Studies. Besides editing publications such as Abhidhammathasamgaho, Pindikrita, Pancakrama and Manjusri, he is the co-translator of Je Tsongkhapa’s commentary on Nagarjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2009, for his contributions to Education according to wikipedia.