His Eminence Khen Rinpoche Geshe Dakpa Tenzin, Abbot of Gaden Shartse Monastery

Gaden Monastery was first established by Lama Je Tsongkhapa in Tibet in 1409 and flourished as one of Tibet’s greatest monastic institutions. It was later re-established in Mundgod, South India in 1959.

There are two colleges within Gaden Monastery – Gaden Shartse and Gaden Jangtze. They are exactly the same in nature and follow the same teachings, but are divided into two colleges purely for administrative reasons.

The abbots of each college are selected and approved by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama himself. They oversee all administrative and spiritual affairs of the entire college, including education, funds and religious affairs. The current abbot of Gaden Shartse College is His Eminence Khen Rinpoche Geshe Dakpa Tenzin.