June 10,1999:

The Cremation of Phuntsok Tashi

June10 , 1999: Cremation of Takla Phuntsok Tashi On June 3, 1999, for reasons unknown to me or my Tibetan media colleagues, His Holiness The Dalai Lama paid a visit to people residing in a building next to my workplace here in India. Now, one week later, I know why His Holiness made this visit. He was comforting a very close friend, family member, and government leader who was near to death named Takla Phuntsok Tashi.

Takla Phuntsok Tashi was born in 1922 in the small village of Chong-tse in Kumbum, Amdo situated in the Domey province of Tibet and very close to the birthplace (Taktser) of His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama. His mother was Dhundup Tsomo and father named Kelsang. During his childhood, Takla learned Chinese in the small school of his village. Later, he attended the Bodh-Sog (Tibetan-Mongolian) minority school in the city of Xining. In 1937, Takla married His Holiness The Dalai Lama's elder sister Tsering Dolma (Founder of the Tibetan Children's Village). In 1940, he left with his wife for the capital city of Lhasa. In 1942, Takla went to China along with the elder brother of The Dalai Lama, Gyalo Dhundup. There he learned Chinese, English, and Mathematics at Nanchin's political university. In 1947, Takla began working for the Tibetan government monitoring Chinese radio broadcasts and briefing government officials.

When the Tibetans signed the Seventeen Point Agreement in 1951 with the Chinese, Takla served as the official translator for the Tibetan government. In 1953, he worked as the secretary of the Tibetan Foreign Bureau. During 1954, Takla was appointed the Security General; a position he held until 1959. In 1960, with the launching of the Tibetan Government In-Exile, he served as the Chairperson of the Security Department. During 1973, Takla assumed the position of Minister of the Security Department. In 1979, he traveled with the first delegation sent by His Holiness The Dalai Lama to Chinese occupied Tibet, while in 1982, Takla was one of the representatives of the Tibetan Government In-Exile during negotiations with China. Due to his age, in 1983 Takla retired from government work. Throughout his career in the Tibetan government, Takla Phuntsok Tashi worked hard to improve the political situation of his country, Tibet.

According to the Tibet Times newspaper, when asked about Takla Phuntsok Tashi, Alak Jigme Rinpoche (Auditor General, Tibetan Government In-Exile) stated that he was a very honest, moral, good hearted, and stable person who offered sound advice to others. Rinpoche also mentioned that he was someone His Holiness The Dalai Lama could trust.

The Tibet Times also reported on some thoughts [Image] expressed by Takla Phuntsok Tashi's second wife, Kelsang Yankyi Takla. Kelsang revealed that His Holiness The Dalai Lama visited her husband right before he died. Kelsang claimed that His Holiness gave Takla a photo of Himself with handwriten prayers inscribed. His Holiness also invoked the Amitabha prayer (Prayer for the Pureland) in Takla's presence and requested that Takla recite this prayer as well. His Holiness told Takla not too worry.

When Takla was very close to death (June 8), Kelsang placed the photo of His Holiness in front of his face and Takla looked at this picture and began praying. According to Kelsang, he then died in his residence at 8:45PM. Before his death, Takla stated he had no fears. He asked his family to enjoy their lives and not worry about him. He said, "I decided I am going."

The next morning officials from theTibetan [Image] Government In-Exile visited Takla and Kelsang's home to pay their respects. On June 9, all the Tibetan Government In-Exile offices and local shops were closed in Takla1s honor. On the day of the cremation (June 10), all the Ministers and Chief Justice of the Tibetan Government In-Exile were in attendance as well as many staff and laypersons. Takla Phuntsok Tashi1s daughter (Khando) lit the cremation flame.