Bylakuppe: Tenzin Taklha, Chief of Security and Secretary to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, was honoured at Thiksey Monastery near Leh, in the Ladakh region, during the 84th birthday celebrations of the 9th Thiksey Rinpoche.

He received a commemorative citation and medal recognising over three decades of service to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community in exile.

The award, instituted in 2016 with His Holiness as its first recipient, praised Taklha’s integrity, discretion and loyalty, marking him as a quiet guardian whose work has sustained the Dalai Lama’s global mission.

Born in Calcutta in 1965 and raised across Switzerland and the United States before returning to Dharamsala, Taklha has combined academic achievement with practical service, from refugee resettlement in the U.S. to covert visits to Tibet.

His career has spanned security, logistics and administration, making him central to the Dalai Lama’s global engagements.