Today in India, at the Age of 86, After a Prolonged Illness, One of the Oldest Monks of the Drepung Gomang Monastery, Geshe Thubten Nyima, Passed Away

Geshe Nyima was one of the first monks who made a great contribution to the revival of Buddhism in Kalmykia. In 1993, at the invitation of the Shajin Lama of Kalmykia Telo Tulku Rinpoche, Geshe Nyima came to Kalmykia to help in the revival of Buddhism. Here, at the Central Khurul, Geshe Nyima was engaged in teaching and in conducting Buddhist rituals. The Venerable Geshe Thubten Nyima was born on March 15, 1936 in the Tibetan province of Amdo. He studied at the Drepung monastery in Tibet. In 1959, together with a thousand other Tibetans, he went into exile in India, where he entered the Institute of Tibetan Studies in Varanasi. In 1970, after three years of study, he received the academic title of acharya, after which he studied at the Drepung Gomang monastery in India. In 1987, having completed the full course of study, he passed the examinations for the academic degree of Geshe Lharampa. In 1993 he was invited to Kalmykia. In 1996 he served as the keeper of discipline (geko) at the Gyume tantric monastery, and also for a year performed the duties of honorary reader of texts during ceremonies (tri-kang kyorpon). In Kalmykia many people knew Geshe Nyima and kept in touch with him after his departure to India, and so the news of his passing became sad news for many Buddhists of Kalmykia. We pray for his swift rebirth. The Monastic Community of Kalmykia OM MANI PADME HUM