In 1993, when Geshe Tsultrim Tengey lakand Ven. Tsedup Dorjee of Gaden Lhopa Khangtsen requested His Holiness the Dalai Lama whether H. H. the Dalai Lama sees a sign for a possible reincarnation. H. H. the Dalai Lama has advised them to wait, as there is no clear sign showing that the reincarnation would be in India. Yet these two made an effort to look out for possible clues among the people in Dharamsala, Delhi and other Tibetan settlements. Since they did not see any positive indications they were a little disheartened.

But then in 1995 when Drupchen Gowo Geshe Neema was consulted, he prophesized that the reincarnation was born in Tibet at Yuthog Zampa (turquoise-roofed bridge) so either one of them tried to go to Tibet but the permits were restricted. They tried to contact some people in Tibet to look for this new incarnation but they were not successful.

In 1996 December, when HH the Dalai Lama gave the Kalachakra at Salugara ( India), Geshe Tsultrim Tengay and Gelong Jampa Wangchuk and their Geshe Chophel of Gaden Hardong Khangtsen and Trulku Tenzin Namdol all went to receive this Kalachakra sermon. They all stayed lodged together in one tent during the Kalachakra sermon.

Ven. Tenzin Namdol Rinpoche had some guest from Tibet Mrs. Dicky Dolkar and her son Tenzin Namkha, when this mother and child came to the tent deliver some parcel, the boy immediately without any hesitation asked Geshe Tsultrim Tengay lak with so much of familiarity and without any inhibition. ” Oh! Give me an apple” and he looked very happy to have meet Geshe TsultrimTengay. Geshe Tsultrim Tengay was absent-minded and thought it was just a child’s boldness nothing else. Then the boy came repeatedly into the tent and was showing his happiness to have met Geshe Tsultrim Tengay.

After the Kalachakra, the mother and the son wanted to come down to Mundgod to meet their relative Ven. Lobsang Thabkhey of Drepung Phukhang Khangtsen, but she could not find anyone to visit Drepung from her co-travelers. So the mother was quite unsure whether she will make it or not to Mundgod without a good travelling companion. So, finally she decided to come down with Geshe Chophel and Geshe TsultrimTengay, they reached Mundgod.

As they got down at Gaden Monastery when Geshe Chophel went to his residence and Geshe Tsultrim Tengay too started towards his residence the boy insist that he will accompany Geshe Tsultrim Tengay to his residence. It was good time that Gaden Lhopa Khangtsen was all cleaned and white washed. On 4th of January 1997, (24/11/2123 of Tibetan Calendar) as they arrived to their residence, we offered the food.

The boy after his food went and sat on the cot belonging to late Geshe Thubten Tsering and said this is my cot. He insisted on getting the white glass rosary of the late Geshe lak, which was kept on the altar and after getting it on his hand, he put the rosary round his neck. While he went to toilet he gave us the rosary (mala) to be kept with care, when asked, “whose is it?” The boy replied, “it is his”.

Not only this he also said that there is a spectacle of his in the drawer of the table which too was there. All these things were very surprising incidence to all the Geshe and their students of this house. Then the Mother and child went back to Drepung Monastery to stay with their relative. The next morning at the child’s persistent demand that they go to Gaden, the mother and the child had to come Gaden before they could have their breakfast. The mother left the child at Gaden and she went back to Drepung Monastery. Her brother instructed her to get her son back so again in the afternoon she went to Gaden to collect her son, but they both stayed that evening there.

That evening they had their dinner at Geshe Tsultrim Tengye’s residence of Lhopa Khangtsen. After the dinner the boy got up and suddenly went into the inner room and called his mother and asked his mother ” Mother, how is my place?” Mother replied casually ” yes, it is good, but now we must go back to Drepung “. The boy said that mother can go alone, he wants to stay here, but some how the mother coaxed him to go back to Drepung Monastery. Then again at Drepung the next two days, the boy had wanted to go to Gaden, somehow the Mother and the Uncle managed to hold him back at Drepung.

On 8th of January 1997 (29/11/2123 of Tibetan Calendar), when the mother and the child came to Gaden, Gaden Lhopa Geshe Tsultrim Tengay, Ven. Tsedup Dorjee, Hardong Geshe Chophel and Ven. Tennzin Namdol told the Mother of the child that there are many incidence and happening occurred with her son when the mother and the child came to Gaden. Some of which are as prophesied by H. H. the Dalai Lama and Gyen Neema and the numerous positive sign and indication towards the positive sign that the child probably could be the reincarnation of their former Teacher.

So they all again went to Gowo Geshe Neema lak to seek his insight views. Geshe Neema lak sat three times in Trans meditation and confirmed that his boy in the name of Tenzin Namkhan, born in Yuthog bridge province is the reincarnation of former Geshe Thubten Tsering.  Geshe Neema said do not just believe me alone, let the young boy have the dice cast three and all the three times it was similar prediction as that of Gyen Neema lak.

The child’s tongue bears the imprints of letter ‘Aa’. His mother related that when the child was taken to Drepung Monastery in Tibet, there the Rev. Lamrim Rinpoche advised the mother to keep the child with all proper sanitation, as this is an incarnate. Therefore all these has convinced us to believe that this child is the reincarnate of former Geshe Thubten Tsering. Another convincing sign is the boy has a birthmark on the right waist where the former Geshe has been operated at Delhi.

On 10th of February 1997 (2/12/2123 Tibetan Calendar) on this auspicious day, the first formal simple ceremony of offering of holy dress was conducted at his previous birth’s residence along with Mandels. When scarves were being offered with the articles belonging to the previous birth, the boy showed definite differences and specific sign. About people whom he had known in his previous life to all those who had been very friendly in his previous life he not only returned their scarves but also presented them with fruits. This act of the young boy has not only surprised all those gathered but also made our belief stronger that there is no mistake in looking up to this young boy as the reincarnate of our beloved great teacher Geshe Thubten Tenzin.

A formal request was forwarded to the private office of H. H. the Dalai Lama through Kongo Tenpa Sopa to forward the news, that at Lhubug, near Lhasa to Mr. Doten and Mrs. Dicky Dolkar a child name Tenzin Namkha was born at 10 a.m. on 8th of 7th month of Tibetan year 2120 (i.e. in 1992). Who is recognized as the reincarnate of late Geshe Thubten Tsering of Gaden Lhopa Khangtsen seek H. H. the Dalai Lama’s blessings and offer the first offering of hair to be initiated into the monk hood, this request was accepted.

His Holiness granted the occasion on 1st of January 1998 at Sera Monastery when H.H. the Dalai Lama asked jovially to the young boy, “your previous life or you, who has the bigger head?” The boy replied, “I have smaller head now”. Again H. H. the Dalai Lama has asked, “you or your previous birth, who do you have a shorter small finger?” In his reply, he said, “I have a longer small finger now”. As H. H. the Dalai Lama is familiar that the late Geshe had a very big head and very short small finger. After these replies being a positive and correct answer H. H. the Dalai Lama was all smiles and accepted the child’s hair offered in prayer and named the new reincarnate as Tenzin Tsering and formally declared and accepted as the reincarnate of late Geshe Thubten Tsering.

On 18th of January 1998 a special naming  ceremony was conducted at Gaden Norling Shartse Monastery and ceremoniously conducted into the religious fold of lama hood.

This short write up is compiled by Gashar Lhopa Khangtsen’s Geshe Tsedup Dorjee and  Geshe Jampa Wangchuk on behalf of all the pupils of late Geshe with respect, gratitude and rejoicing in his rebirth.

In the year 2008: Rinpoche has completed his study of  the Pramanavidya, the Buddhist Logic and Epistemology (equivalent to a higher secondary course) for 5years and Prajnaparamita, the Mahayana Buddhist studies of six perfection” (equivalent to  Pre-university) of 5years studies was completed in 2013,

And he has done distinctly well and stood first position in his class. He has always been devoted and committed in the study of dharma for which he has been exemplary to other monks.

Rinpoche completed  Madhyamika, the Middla Way Buddhist Philosophy (equivalent to Bachelors Degree at University) for 3years; the Abhidharma, the Buddhist Psychology and Phenomenology (equivalent to Masters Degree in University) for 2years , finally the Vinnaya, the Buddhist Ethics and Monastic Rules (equivalent to Doctorate Degree) for 3years of Tibetan Buddhist Studies to acquire his Geshe Degree ( doctorate in Buddhist Philosophy) in a Mahayana Gelukpa Studies.