Name: Tashi Rabgias
Born: Leh, Ladakh, India
Best Work: Kunsel Melong
He is an Indian-Ladakhi scholar and historian belonging to Leh, Ladakh. He is a scholar of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. He commands great expertise over the Bhoti language. He has many books to his credit. He has collected more than 200 folk songs for which he was awarded a Robe of Honour by the Art Culture and Language Department, Govt of Jammu and Kashmir.
His birthplace:
Life & Education:
He was born in the Tukchu family of Sakti village in Leh. He had an inclination towards Buddhist philosophy and its ways of life from a very early age. He completed his primary education from a Primary School in Chemde village and Secondary education from Sri Pratap College, Srinagar where he got his Bachelors of Arts Degree in 1953.
Career & Position:
In 1953, at the age of 27, he started his career as the first Personal Assistant to the first Deputy Minister of J&K Govt., 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche for a period of four years. He has also worked as an Asstt. Editor and Cultural Officer, Gangtok, Sikkim. He served as the charge Ladakhi Programmes on Radio Kashmir Srinagar from 1960 to 1962. Later he was appointed as a lecturer of Buddhist Studies at the University of Delhi in 1963. He also worked as Information Officer, J&K Government from 1964 to 1982.
In his home
He has been involved a wide array of social life being the founder President of the Ladakh Cultural Forum, Leh. Besides, he has been the Secretary, Ladakh Buddhist Association for 7 years from 1964 to 1970. He was also associated with the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi as a member of the General Council during the period 1998–2000. He also served as Education Officer in Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LeDeG), an NGO. He is one of the founding members of the International Association for Ladakh Studies. He has a Chair in the name of Gyalwa Lungchen Rabjam at the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, Leh in recognition of his services to Buddhist studies.
Scholarly Work:
- Five books including Natir Puja (1961, play translated from English to Bhoti).
- History of Ladakh from early times to 1947 in Bhoti language. 1st edition-1984, 2nd edition-2006.
- Ancient Futures translated from English to Bhoti language.
- Collection of 127 Ladakhi Folk Songs published in 1970 by Cultural Academy J&K state.
- Collection of articles in English titled, Ladakh Tradition and Change in 2004.
- Collection of 115 original songs written in Bhoti language, titled Jiksten Kuntoo Gawey Lu in 2007.
- Zosgar Tuski Melong, 1st edition-2003: about the problems of wildlife written in a drama where the characters are wild animals.
- Mangski Ringluks 1st edition-2003- about democracy.
- Sustainable Spirituality in Buddhism in 2009.
His Ladakh history book:
Contributions made for preparing text-books in Bhoti language for schools in Ladakh region. Presently he acts as the patron of the International Association for Ladakh Studies. He is now the only living patron of the organisation after the death of Kacho Sikander Khan, his co-patron and contemporary historian from the neighbouring Kargil district.
Tashi Rabgias and His Interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXpcpWfpkwg