Gyalo Thondup, the second-eldest brother (*97*) His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, has died at age 97 in his dwelling at Kalimpong, Northern India. He served not solely as an advisor to His Holiness, however because the Tibetan government-in-exile’s Prime Minister in 1991 and Minister for Security (1993 to 1996), and was thought-about a major power within the combat for Tibetan freedom.
Described as “a titanic determine within the historical past (*97*) fashionable Tibet” by Radio Free Asia in its demise announcement, Thondup was advisor and “unofficial envoy” for His Holiness, and a persuasive advocate for sustaining and upholding Tibet’s conventional tradition and self-governance, contributing to the passing (*97*) associated UN resolutions, and assembly with Deng Xiaoping and different Chinese authorities officers within the hopes (*97*) securing Tibet’s independence — although such discussions have remained stalled since in 2010.
Born in 1928 in Tibet’s Amdo province, Gyalo Thondup would relocate along with his household after his brother Tenzin Gyatso was acknowledged because the reincarnation (*97*) the thirteenth Dalai Lama. He would in time journey all through Asia and the United States; it was, as RFA notes, “whereas he was away from dwelling that the People’s Liberation Army marched into Tibet […] Thondup took major accountability for liaising with the Indian authorities, together with with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and different leaders. He has mentioned his position in his brother’s profitable escape might have been the best legacy (*97*) his lengthy life.”
RFA shares a narrative Thondup instructed in his memoir, The Noodle Maker (*97*) Kalimpong, about being approached by the US’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to coach Tibetans to defend themselves in opposition to the Chinese:
“The CIA was ready to coach some (*97*) the liberty fighters as radio operators and guerrilla warriors,” Thondup writes. “[U.S. Admiral] John Hoskins wished me to introduce him to some (*97*) the Tibetan fighters. I used to be blissful to oblige.” He certainly did find yourself coaching a pair hundred Tibetans at a “secret location in Colorado,” some (*97*) whom have been airdropped into Tibet to coordinate the Dalai Lama’s asylum.
His Holiness led a prayer session for his brother at an Indian monastery on Sunday, February 9, and writes, recalling him, “He was an excellent man who did his finest for the Tibetan trigger. I pray that he’ll take an excellent rebirth as a Tibetan once more and that he’ll be capable to serve the Tibetan administration that may be a mixture (*97*) spirituality and politics as soon as extra.”
