Kasur Tashi Wangdi, a distinguished Tibetan diplomat and veteran official of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), passed away at the age of 78 in Canada on 1st May. Over a career that spanned more than five decades, Wangdi played a pivotal role in shaping the diplomatic and political trajectory of the Tibetan exile movement, serving under the guidance of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and holding numerous leadership positions within the CTA.
Born on 15 April 1947, in Sangag Choeling, Tibet, Wangdi’s early life was upended by the Chinese occupation of Tibet. In 1959, he fled into exile in India with his family, joining tens of thousands of other Tibetans who sought refuge following the failed uprising against Communist Chinese rule. He was among the first cohort of Tibetan refugee children selected to study at a newly established school in Mussoorie under the patronage of the Dalai Lama, reflecting his early promise as a student.
Wangdi’s academic journey took him from the foothills of Mussoorie to the United Kingdom. After attending Wynberg Allen School on scholarship, he pursued further education in Britain through a British Council scholarship supported by the refugee organisation Ockenden Venture in 1968. He earned a B.A. (Hons) in Politics and Sociology from Durham University in 1973, a rare achievement among Tibetans in exile at the time.
Returning to India in 1974, Wangdi began his lifelong service to the CTA. His early assignments included roles in the Departments of Home and Education. In 1976, he was appointed Acting Secretary of the Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Delhi, and he would go on to serve multiple terms as the Dalai Lama’s Representative to the Indian government, beginning in 1979.
In 1983, Wangdi was elevated to the Kashag (Cabinet) by the Dalai Lama, and over the following two decades, he was entrusted with leadership of several key departments of the CTA, including Information and International Relations, Security, Home, Education, Religion and Culture, and Health. He also headed the Bureau of the Dalai Lama in New Delhi and represented the CTA in diplomatic outreach efforts across the globe.
Among his most significant contributions was his appointment in 1988 as head of the Tibetan negotiating team for discussions with the Government of the People’s Republic of China, following the Dalai Lama’s proposal of the “Middle Way Approach” to resolve the Tibet issue. Wangdi was a consistent and articulate advocate of seeking genuine autonomy for Tibet within the framework of the Chinese Constitution – an approach that emphasised non-violence and dialogue.
After stepping down from the ministerial role in 2002 in accordance with term limits set by the Tibetan Charter, Wangdi continued his diplomatic service as the Dalai Lama’s Representative in New Delhi, then in New York as Representative to the Americas (2005–2008), and later in Brussels as Representative to Western Europe, the Maghreb region, and the European Union institutions from 2009. He resigned in 2011 to contest the election for Kalon Tripa (now known as Sikyong), the democratically elected head of the CTA.
Wangdi’s career was marked by a rare combination of diplomatic skill, policy experience, and loyalty to the vision of a democratic Tibetan polity in exile. He was respected not only for his administrative competence but also for his intellect, composure, and principled approach to leadership.
His memoir, My Life: Born in Free Tibet, Served in Exile, published by the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, offers an intimate perspective on Tibet’s post-1959 history through the eyes of someone who was deeply embedded in its unfolding. It documents both the achievements and the challenges of the Tibetan struggle from exile, underscoring the personal sacrifices made by a generation committed to preserving Tibetan identity, culture, and political aspirations.
Tashi Wangdi is survived by his family and a worldwide Tibetan community that continues to benefit from the institutions he helped build and the diplomacy he championed. His life stands as a testament to the resilience of the Tibetan spirit and the possibilities of service rooted in integrity, vision, and unwavering commitment.
Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities (GATPM) 