I am very saddened to learn of the untimely death of Chime Tseyang-la earlier today in Delhi. Chime-la is one of the few Tibetan women in the senior leadership post, who was serving as the Secretary at the Department of Religion and Culture, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamsala.
According to the Circular released by the CTA Cabinet Office, Chime Tseyang-la died this morning at 6am at a hospital in Delhi, where she was receiving treatment. An official prayer service was held to mourn her death by the small Tibetan civil service and leadership in Dharamsala in the afternoon of her death. According to Tibet.net, “Cabinet Secretary Tsegyal Chukya Dranyi read a brief biography of the late Secretary and officiating Sikyong Tharlam Dolma Changra, the Kalon of Department of Education, conveyed her sadness at the painful news and asked everyone to offer prayers for the departed Secretary.”
From my professional dealing with Chime-la, especially when she was heading the Sponsorship and Scholarship Section at the Department of Education, CTA, I found her not only professional and soft spoken, but genuinely an open, friendly and good person. Furthermore, I observed her passion in making a difference to the Tibetan refugee community through her civil service profession. I met Chime-la on multiple occasions during my India trips, including in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014, when I was working for the Tibet Relief Fund.
My prayers for the deceased soul, thoughts and condolences with Chime-la’s family at this very difficult time. Om Mani Padme Hung.
Tsering Passang, London (UK)
Brief bio of Secretary Chime Tseyang (Source: CTA)
Secretary Chime Tseyang was born to Pema Losel and Jodon in Chauntra Tibetan Settlement, Himachal Pradesh, on 1 August 1972 and did her primary and elementary schooling from CST Chauntra and CST Paonta, respectively. She completed her secondary and higher secondary education at CST Mussoorie and later pursued her Bachelor of Arts from GCG Government College for Girls in Chandigarh.
Following graduation, she worked at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute for over two and a half years before joining the Central Tibetan Administration in 2000 as Under Secretary at the Department of Education. She was promoted to Deputy Secretary on 19 November 2004 and to Joint Secretary on 13 October 2010 at the Education Department where she served almost 16 years in total. On 1 September 2016, Secretary Chime Tseyang was promoted to the post of Additional Secretary and was transferred to Department of Information and International Relations, where she was subsequently promoted to Secretary post on 17 August 2020. On 1 September 2021, she was appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Religion and Culture. The departed Secretary was survived by her husband, Tenzin Lungtok, the Justice Commissioner of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission, and their daughter.
Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities (GATPM) 