On behalf of all the Tibetan Medical Practitioners, we the executive members of CCTM deeply condoles the demise of Dr. Yeshi Dhondhen; (Reg. No. – CCTM/QMP/3382/2010) formal personal visiting physician to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The 93 years old Padma Shri awardee and the second Tibetan to receive the prestigious award breathed his last at his residence in Mcleodganj, Dharamsala, today i.e. 26th November, early morning at 2:53 am. Dr Dhonden was the foremost Tibetan doctor around the world who was widely respected and recognized for his effectual treatment of the patients. We deeply regrets of losing him and here to pay our sympathy to his family and the relatives. Our prayers always with his soul.
BRIEF BIO-DATA OF DR. YESHI DHONDHEN
Dr. Yeshi Dhonden, a formal personal physician to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama was born in Lhunpo Shol, a region near to Ngakar Tse in Lhoka, Tibet. He was born into a family 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 physician Dr. Khenrab Norbu, a personal physician to His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama and at the age of 20, he graduate the Institute Thereafter, he practiced Tibetan Medicine in the region of Lhoka 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. This 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 His Holiness 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 His Holiness the Dalai Lama and also gave medical consultations to the retinue of H.H. 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. He still continued to serve His Holiness the Dalai Lama as a personal physician till 1980, and the twenty year medical service without any negligence and carelessness with which His Holiness the Dalai Lama always pleased. In 1967, under the instruction of his Holiness the Dalai Lama, he paid visit to Spain for medical consultation and participated 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 Medal. 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-Tsee-Khang awarded him with Manrampa Chewa, the second highest degree in Tibetan Medicine. Since 1980, he was 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. On 23rd March 2016, during the Centenary celebration of Men-Tsee-Khang, Dharamsala, Dr. Yeshi Dhondhen has received a souvenir and felicitated for his contribution to Tibetan medicine and dedicated service to Men-Tsee-Khang.
Though passing through the age of 90, every day he tries to quench the thirst of about 50 – 70 patients. He becomes a well-known physician in India, due to his miracle and tangible treatments for cancer, one of the major causes of death all over the world.
On 20 March 2018, the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, conferred the Padma Shri of Medicine to Dr Yeshi Dhonden at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for his contributions in the field of medicine through Sowa Rigpa, the traditional Tibetan medicine. Padma Shri is the fourth-highest civilian award in India. Dr Dhonden officially retired from medical practise on 1 April 2019 due to his old age.
Dr. Dhondhen 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.