Overview

• Gyalo Thondup, elder brother of the Dalai Lama and a prominent leader in the Tibetan exile movement, passed away at his home in Kalimpong, India, at the age of 97.
• Thondup was instrumental in forging international support for Tibet, including facilitating CIA-backed resistance efforts in the 1950s and later leading peaceful negotiations with China.
• He served as chairman of the Tibetan government-in-exile in the early 1990s and was a trusted emissary for the Dalai Lama, advocating for a resolution to Tibet's political status.
• Thondup's efforts included establishing diplomatic ties with global leaders and institutions, though his attempts to negotiate with Beijing for Tibetan autonomy were ultimately unsuccessful.
• The Dalai Lama led prayers for his brother, emphasizing Thondup's dedication to the Tibetan cause and expressing hope for his spiritual rebirth in future lives.