New Delhi – The Dalai Lama led prayers in India on February 9, mourning the passing of his elder brother, Gyalo Thondup, a veteran leader of the exiled Tibetan community, who died at the age of 97.
Born in 1928, Thondup witnessed Tibet’s transformation long before the 1959 Lhasa uprising, which led to the Dalai Lama’s exile in India. He later played a crucial role in the Tibetan government-in-exile, serving as chairman of its Kashag (Cabinet) in the early 1990s and acting as the Dalai Lama’s personal emissary.
Speaking at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in southern India, the Dalai Lama praised his brother’s dedication and bravery, offering prayers for his continued commitment to the Tibetan cause in future lives.
Thondup was instrumental in raising international awareness about the Tibetan issue and played a key role in covert resistance efforts against Chinese forces. In the 1960s, he helped secure CIA support for Tibetan guerrilla fighters operating from Nepal’s Mustang region. However, after funding was cut, he and the fighters adhered to the Dalai Lama’s call for a peaceful resolution in 1974.
Despite decades of negotiations with Beijing, Thondup remained hopeful for Tibet’s future, once stating, “China is changing, the world is changing. I’m quite optimistic.”
His passing marks the loss of a key figure from Tibet’s pre-exile generation, raising concerns among exiled Tibetans about the future of their movement, particularly as China asserts its control over Tibet and its succession process for the Dalai Lama.