Sikkim CM pays tribute to Gyalo Thondup, brother of Dalai Lama in Kalimpong

 Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) visited Kalimpong on Friday to pay his respects to the late Gyalo Thondup, elder brother of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

SNS | Siliguri | February 15, 2025 : Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) visited Kalimpong on Friday to pay his respects to the late Gyalo Thondup, elder brother of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Mr Tamang visited Thondup’s residence, offering prayers and expressing solidarity with the bereaved family.

Gyalo Thondup, a towering figure in the Tibetan struggle and a key interlocutor between the Tibetan government in exile and global leaders, passed away at his Kalimpong home on Saturday evening after battling age-related ailments. He was 95. His funeral was held on Tuesday.

“In this moment of profound loss, we extend our deepest condolences to the family. We prayed for the departed soul to rest in eternal peace,” the Sikkim chief minister said. He further remarked, “May his legacy of wisdom, dedication, and service continue to inspire future generations.”

Thondup played a pivotal role in shaping Tibet’s relations with the outside world after fleeing his homeland in 1952. He served as a bridge between the Dalai Lama and international leaders, including Jawaharlal Nehru, Chiang Kai-shek, Zhou Enlai, and Deng Xiaoping. Notably, it was Thondup who secured Prime Minister Nehru’s approval for political asylum when the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959.

Thondup’s contributions to the Tibetan cause were chronicled in his book, The Noodle Maker of Kalimpong: The Untold Story of My Struggle for Tibet, co-authored with American writer Anne F. Thurston.