A Tibetan Doctor Recieves Padma Shree Award

Dr Yeshi Dhondan is examining pulse

Dr Yeshi Dhondan, a former personal physician to H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama, receives the Padma Shree Award, the fourth highest civilian award. 


He was born in Lhunpo Shol, a region near to Ngakar Tse in Lhokha, Chinese occupied Tibet, was descended from the greater family lineage of Ngog Choeku Dorjee and Ngog Lodhen Sherab. At the age of 12, he began to enroll on the course of Tibetan medicine and astrological science at Men-Tsee-Khang (Tibetan Medical & Astro. Institute in Lhasa), under the tutelage of renowned physicians, namely Dr Kyenrab Norbu, a personal physician to H.H. the 13th Dalai Lama, and at 20, he graduated the institute.   

Thereafter, he practiced Tibetan medicine in the regions of Lhokha and Dhagsa, during which many people died of an epidemic outbreak. He formulated a new recipe and was able to eradicate the deadly disease from the regions.

His remarkable achievement won instant fame in his medical practice. In 1959 he came into exile in India and two years later, under the guidance and patronage of H.H the 14th Dalai Lama, he took charge in establishing and administering Manjin Khang, (the present institute of Men-Tsee-Khang) in Dharamsala; and subsequently played multiple roles of a consulting doctor, a lecturer and a director. The following years, he did a personal physician to H.H. the Dalai Lama, and also gave medical consultations to the retinue of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Indian officials including Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India. Due to his expertise in the discipline and unrivaled patience, he became a hugely popular doctor and therefore, the first rung development of Men-Tsee-Khang was attributed to him. In 1969 he resigned from Men-Tsee-Khang and began to run a private clinic. But he continued to serve H.H. the Dalai Lama as a personal physician till 1980, and the twenty-year medical service without any negligence and carelessness with which HH the Dalai Lama always feels pleased.

In 1967, under the instruction of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, he paid a visit to  Spain for medical consultations and participation in the international seminar on Tibetan medicine. Unprecedentedly, he hosted the Tibetan National Flag fluttering in the conference hall and gave an impressive presentation on Tibetan medicine, thereby being awarded with the Gold Metal.   Since 1980, he has been intensively travelling to Western countries, particularly the United States of America wherein he founded the Medicine Buddha Association. Subsequently he started teaching on Tibetan medicine at the Virginia University, and also agreed to join a laboratory study using Tibetan medicine to treat mice with sarcoma. The study showed Tibetan medicine would have some potential to treat cancer. In 2000, he again participated in a clinical research, on the efficacy and safety of Tibetan medicine in treating breast cancer at the San Francisco University, USA. The research work revealed Tibetan medicine was effective in treating breast cancer. This finding was also broadcast by the American national television and radio; and an honorary award was bestowed on him. In a nut shell, he is the first person who has introduced the Tibetan medicine—its treatment methods and profound principles—to the western audience. 

In 1987, Men-Tse-Khang awarded him with Manrampa Chewa, the second highest degree in Tibetan Medicine. Since 1980, he has providing free or concessional healthcare service to hundreds of thousands patients, namely new arrivals from Tibet, Tibetan monks and nuns regardless of religion sects and residential countries. From the time when he ran the private clinic, he has diligently served countless patients including Tibetans, Indians and peoples from every nook and corner of the world. Even if living in a small clinic, he becomes a Tibetan doctor of local, national and international repute. In 1981, he participated in the International Conference on Tibetan Medicine held in Washington D.C., during which, he gave a presentation on Tibetan medicine, and did medical consultations as well.

In 2012, he received the Yuthok Award from Central Council of Tibetan Medicine based in Dharamsala, for his outstanding dedication and significant contribution to the promotion and preservation of Tibetan medicine. Though passing through the age of 90, every day he tries to quench the thirst of about 50-70 patients. He became a well-known physician in India, due to his miracle and tangible treatments for cancer, one of the major causes of deaths all over the world.

In short, he has offered a significant contribution to the promotion and preservation of Tibetan medicine, and given a new life to the countless number of patients, by giving a hope to the hopeless, providing a help to the helpless, with generosity and compassionate heart.