DHARAMSHALA: The Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration today congratulated Dr Yeshi Dhonden, a recipient of the prestigious Padmashri award conferred by the government of India for distinguished service to the public in the form of medicine.
“Since popularizing sowa rigpa – Tibet’s rich cultural heritage of traditional medicine – all over the world, you have successfully treated tens of thousands of patients, old and young, from across the world particularly India, for a variety of ailments,” the Kashag wrote in a congratulatory letter to Dr Yeshi Dhonden.
“Hence, in recognition of your notable past and continuing service to the public, the Indian government has announced your name as a recipient of the Padma Shri award from Himachal Pradesh on the occasion of India’s 69th Republic Day on 26 January 2018.”
“Although CTA President Dr Lobsang Sangay has already congratulated you on being conferred the Padma Shri award through the media, the Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration would like to congratulate and express our warm Tashi Delek again to you on this momentous recognition,” it added.
“We feel that your achievements have made the Tibetan culture as well as the Tibetan people beam with confidence and pride in front of our host country India and the world. We pray that you live long and all your endeavors continue to succeed,” the Kashag wrote.
Dr Yeshi Dhonden is a Buddhist monk and a medical practitioner of Tibet’s cultural medical knowledge known as Sowa Rigpa. He was also His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s personal physician for about twenty years from 1960 to 1980. He was both Director and principal of the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (TMAI) until 1979.
Dr Yeshi Dhonden is referred to as one of the foremost Tibetan doctors of the world. Over the last 63 years, he has successfully treated patients with all kinds of ailments at his present Clinic located at Mcleod Ganj, Dharamshala.