Kashag Announces the Portfolio of New Kalons

The Kashag Secretariat today announced the portfolios of the new Kalons of the 15th Kashag.

Members of the 15th Kashag

As per Article 29 (2) of the Charter for Tibetans in exile, Ven Yuthok Karma Gelek is appointed as the Kalon of the Department of Religion and Culture; Mr Khorlatsang Sonam Topgyal is appointed as the Kalon of the Department of Home, Mr Karma Yeshi is appointed as the Kalon of the Department of Finance; Labrang Phagpa Tsering is appointed as the Kalon of the Department of Security; Ms Tenzin Dhardon Sharling is appointed as the Kalon of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR); and Mr Choekyong Wangchuk is appointed as the Kalon of the Department of Health.

Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay will hold the portfolio of the Department of Education until the return of Mr Ngodup Tsering following his visa extension process in the US and his swearing-in.

Brief biography of the new Kalons

Mr Ngodup Tsering was born on 1 July 1953. He is an alumnus of Punjab University, Chandigarh with a degree in Bachelor of Arts. He was also a former member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, formerly known as the Tibetan People’s Deputies from 1979-1982.

He joined the Central Tibetan Administration in 1983, on the post of Deputy Secretary. He was initially posted at the Department of Education. From 1991-1995, he served as the Director of the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA). In 1996, he was promoted to the post of Secretary and appointed as the new Secretary of the Department of Education. In 1999, he was transferred to the Department of Home of the Central Tibetan Administration as the home secretary.

From 2001-2008, he served as the president and the director of various Tibetan associations in the United States.

He was appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Education in 2012 and nominated as the Kalon of Education department by Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay in September 2014. He was nominated again as Kalon by Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay in the 15th Kashag.

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Ven Karma Gelek Yuthok was born in the year 1955 in Tibet. After completing his studies in Buddhist dialectics and Masters in Arts (MA) degree, he joined the Central Tibetan Administration in 1986.

Since then, he has served in various capacities including as the Secretary of the Department of Religion and Culture, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at OOT Japan, Secretary of the Department of Education, and finally as Secretary of the Kashag Secretariat from 2012 until his nomination as a Kalon of the 15th Kashag by Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay.

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Mr Khorlatsang Sonam Topgyal was born in the year 1954. After completing his studies, he joined the Central Tibetan Administration in 1979. Since then, he has worked in various capacities within the Tibetan administration.

He was promoted to the post of Secretary in 2001 and was appointed as the Director of Tibetan Reception Center. He also served as the Secretary of Finance department, Secretary of Tibetan Homes foundation, Mussoorie and as the Secretary of the Department of Home from 2011 until his nomination as Kalon of the 15th Kashag by Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay in May 2016.

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Mr Labrang Phagpa Tsering was born in the year 1965. After completing his education from North-West Nationalities University, he came into exile in 1992.

He joined the Central Tibetan Administration in 1993 and served in various capacities. He was the Administrative Secretary of the Department of Security from 2014 until his nomination as Kalon of the 15th Kashag by Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay in May 2016.

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Mr Karma Yeshi was born in exile in the year 1965. He did his schooling from CST Puruwala, Poanta Sahib and Dalhousie. After a few months’ military training, he pursued higher studies and earned degrees in B.A. Hons. B.Ed. and Interpretership in language from Punjab University, Chandigarh. He taught at the CST Puruwala for four years from 1990, got elected as the Vice-President of Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) in 1995 and, again, in 1998.

He edited the Tibetan language Rangzen magazine of TYC and took part in a 26-day fast-unto-death protest in front of the United Nations office in Geneva during the UN Human Rights Commission meeting there in 1999. He got imprisoned for taking part in Tibetan protest actions, led many workshops and leadership trainings for Tibetans, attended many national and international conferences representing TYC. He earlier got elected to the 13th ATPD in a July 2004 by-election. From March 2003 he has been the Editor-in-Chief of the Voice of Tibet radio news service. He was also a member of the 15th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from Utsang province.

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Mr Choekyong Wangchuk was born in Kalimpong in 1971, and currently lives in New Delhi. He completed his class 12th from SFF School, Herbertpur and earned a B.A. degree from Punjab University, in 1993, and a PG Diploma in Marketing and Sales Management from Bhartiya Vidhya Bhavan in 1994.

In 1991 and 1992 he was elected as the President of Overseas Student’s Association of Govt. College for Men and the President of Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Chandigarh. From 1995 to 2001, he was elected to the Central Executive Committee of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC). He served as the Deputy Coordinator and, later, as the Coordinator of the New Delhi-based India Tibet Coordination Office (ITCO) of CTA from 2002 to 2006.

He organised many Tibet awareness programs and also attended many national and international conferences. He worked as the Executive Director of the Tibetan Parliamentary & Policy Research Centre based in New Delhi and was a member of the 15th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from Dotoe province.

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Ms Tenzin Dhardon Sharling was born in the year 1981. She is an alumnus of SOS TCV Bylakuppe and has a degree in MA Journalism from Chennai. She attained another MA degree from the United Kingdom and is currently pursuing her doctorate.

From 2009, she served as a central executive member of Tibetan Women’s Association and from 2009; she was the chair of International Tibet Network. She was a member of the 15th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and was also elected to the 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-exile. She is the youngest and the only woman in the new Kashag.

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