Education Kalon to replace Penpa Tsering as new Representative of North America

By Lobsang Tenchoe

DHARAMSALA, Nov 7: Ngodup Tsering, the sitting Education Kalon (Minister) of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has been appointment as the new Representative of North America based in Washington DC.

Kalon Ngodup Tsering will replace former Speaker Penpa Tsering and the current Representative of North America from December 1, 2017, reports tibet.net, the official website of CTA.

“The Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration today appointed Education Kalon Ngodup Tsering as the new Representative of North America based in Washington DC. The Kashag has made the appointment today as per Chapter 1 Article 1(3) of the Tibetan Charter and Article 19(1) of the Tibetan Public Service Commission rules and regulations,” the report said.

23318874_1714418535269216_1832062472_nWith the sudden appointment, it remains to be seen what the future holds for Penpa Tsering, the former Speaker and the sitting Representative of North America. The President of the CTA, Dr Lobsang Sangay and the newly appointed Representative of North America, Kalon Ngodup Tsering both declined to comment on the matter.

Ngodup Tsering, born on July 1, 1953 is a former member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, formerly known as the Tibetan People’s Deputies from 1979-1982. He holds a degree in Bachelor of Arts from Punjab University, Chandigarh. He joined the Central Tibetan Administration in 1983 and served as the Deputy Secretary at the Department of Education.

In 1987, he was transferred to the Department of Home for the same post and later from 1991-1995, he served as the Director of Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA).

Ngodup Tsering was awarded the Best Staff among gazetted officers in 1995 by a Swiss-based Tibetan Association. The following year, in 1996, he was promoted to the post of Secretary and held the post of the new Secretary of Department of Education. In 1999, he was transferred to the Department of Home of CTA as the Home Secretary.

Ngodup Tsering has also served as the President and Director of various Tibetan associations in the United States from 2001-2008. In 2012, he was again appointed as the Secretary of Department of Education and in September 2014, he was appointed as Kalon under the 14th Kashag led by the President of CTA, Dr Lobsang Sangay.