His Eminence Togden Rinpoche is the Choje (Dharma Master), the spiritual leader of the Drikung Kagyu Tradition in Ladakh. Chojes were sent from Drikung Thil Monastery in Tibet to places such as Mt. Kailash, Tsari, Lapchi, and Ladakh. Since the previous incarnation of Togden Rinpoche was from Ladakh, it became a tradition that his successive reincarnations would be appointed as the Chojes for Ladakh.

His Eminence Togden Rinpoche is the reincarnation of the Indian Mahasiddha Hungchen Kara, who centuries later incarnated as the Kongbo Togden Tulku, a disciple of the 17^th Drikung lineage holder Rinchen Phuntsog (1509-1557). The following seven reincarnations were born in Tibet and the 8^th in Ladakh.

The present Togden with his religious name Konchog Tenzin Thubten Tenpe Gyaltsen it the 9^th reincarnation. He was born into the poor family of Konchog Tsultrim and Kelsang Dolma in 1939 in Durbuk, a small village situated 110 km from Leh. At the age of two years he lost his mother. He was fed by his aunt with the help of goat’s milk. When he was one and a half years old he left a footprint on a bolder. Several miraculous happenings around his birth and afterwards clearly revealed his superior qualities.

The previous Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, Shiwe Lodro (1886-1943) recognized him as the incarnation of the Togden Rinpoche. In 1943 he was enthroned as Choje Togden Rinpoche in Sharchukhul Monastery, which is one of the three major monasteries of the Drikung sect in Ladakh. The monastery is located very close to his birthplace. He received the traditional education at a very young age. In 1951 he accompanied his tutor Gegan Sonam to Yangrigar Monastery in Drikung, Tibet, where he received higher education from many spiritual masters. Till 1954 he studied in the Drikung Nyima Changra College for higher Buddhist studies. When China took over Tibet in 1959 he came back to Ladakh along with his tutor and many Ladakhi monks. Since then Rinpoche carried out his responsibilities for fifty Drikung monasteries in Ladakh while maintaining the Drikung Kagyu tradition there.

Rinpoche holds special Drikung Kagyu transmissions of Gongchig, Yamantaka, Phowa and Dharmapalas. He also holds the transmission of the Rinchen Terdzo. In the beginning of 1967, Rinpoche arranged for the Rinchen Terdzo empowerment to be given at Tso Pema, Rewalsar, one of the most sacred places of Guru Rinpoche. H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche gave this empowerment to a large assembly of thirty Tulkus and several thousand people. Subsequently Dudjom Rinpoche initiated Togden Rinpoche as his successor for imparting this great empowerment of Rinchen Terdzo.

Years later Rinpoche discovered several sacred “hidden places” and also revealed some mind treasure text (dgongs gter) His collected works comprising one volume include a short commentary on the Gongchig.

In the 1960ies Rinpoche was the only spiritual leader of the Drikungpa school who held all kinds of oral and empowerment transmissions of the Drikung tradition. Therefore he gave several empowerments and oral transmissions to the Drikungpas living in India and abroad, including His Holiness Drikung Chetsang Rinpoche, whom he gave the oral transmission of Rigzin Chodrak’s (1595-1659) work.

In 1974 Togden Rinpoche invited Kyunga Rinpoche (1911-1980) to Ladakh, where he started a meditation center at Chushul. Later this meditation center was moved to Lamayuru. After repairing the monastery of Atitse in 1981, Rinpoche established a school for young monks there. Atitse monastery is situated northwest of Lamayuru.

In 1978, under the supervision of Togden Rinpoche a grand reception ceremony was held at Leh for His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, after his escape from Tibet and his return from the USA. Since then it was for the first time that Chetsang Rinpoche and Togden Rinpoche worked together for strengthening the Drikung Kagyu in Ladakh. In 1979, under both the spiritual leaders, the 800^th anniversary of the founding of Drikung Thil Monastery was celebrated at Phyang Monastery.

Togden Rinpoche was the president of Gompa Association from 1972 to 1975. During this period he attended international Buddhist conferences held in Taiwan, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and France.

Social activities

Since 1959 Togden Rinpoche has undertaken various religious as well as social welfare activities in Ladakh and became a popular leader. He worked tirelessly for raising the consciousness among the Ladakhi populace for the need of good education, succeeding in sending many students to Srinagar and Jammu. The main task for Togden Rinpoche after his return from Tibet was to reorganize the approximately 50 various Drikung monasteries of Ladakh.

During the Snake year teachings in 2000 and 2001 at Drikung Kagyu Institute, Dehra Dun, he gave several precious oral transmissions. From 12^th December 2002 until 19^th February 2003, the 18^th day of the last month of the Tibetan calendar, which happens to be an important auspicious day for Drikungpas, he bestowed the oral transmission of 101 volumes of Buddha’s precepts in the auspicious presence of H.H. Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, Taklung Shabdrung Rinpoche, other Tulkus and Khenpos and an assembly of more than 400 monks, nuns, and lay people.

Political activities

In 1967 H.E. Togden Rinpoche was elected as the chairman of the Ladakh Action Committee, furthering the demands of Ladakh with regard to the Indian government. Under his leadership the Committee was able to get ten demands accepted by the government. Thus Togden Rinpoche became also a known political leader. For four years Togden Rinpoche was also appointed as vice-chairman of the Ladakh Development Board. During this period several developmental schemes were executed in far-off places in Ladakh. Among the most prominent achievements were Durbuk canal, Alchi bridge, high schools and many lower schools, Medical Aid Centers at Temisgam, Sumoor, Man-Merak and Skurbuchen.

Togden Rinpoche became also president of the National Conference Party, Leh, and he was nominated as MLC (Member of Legislative Council) in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and later elevated to Minister of State for Ladakh Affairs and Planning in the cabinet of Honorable Chief Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah. As Minister of State for Ladakh Affairs and Planning, Togden Rinpoche has taken various steps for a speedier development of Ladakh. He successfully tried his best to enhance budgetary grants for the region of Ladakh. He projected plans for the construction of an air strip in the remote Zanskar region and the Nimoo-Basgo hydroelectric plant. He also proposed to open the Kailash-Mansarovar road for pilgrims (Kailash Yatra), but unfortunately no action came forward until present.

In September 2002 Togden Rinpoche resigned from his post as Minister of State for Ladakh Affairs and Planning, which he had held for six years. However, his selfless services still continue for the people of Ladakh and Tibetan society in particular and all living beings in general with his genuine dedication towards the Dharma.