Mr. Sonam Topgyal

Mr. Sonam Topgyal was born in Kham Dagyab in 1941 and fled to India in 1959. He studied at the Central University for Tibetan Studies in Sarnath and Benares Hindu University before joining the Central Tibetan Administration in 1963. He held various positions, including deputy secretary of the Department of Information and secretary of the cabinet secretariat. In 1993, he delivered a letter from the Dalai Lama to Chinese leaders. He served as Kalon for the Department of Home and Health and was Kalon Tripa from 1995 to 1996.

Topgyal was a founding member of the Tibetan Youth Congress and worked at the Tibetan Cultural Preservation Centre at Norbu Lingka Institute. He served in the 10th and 11th Kashag, holding positions such as Kalon for Home, Security, Religion, and Culture. He passed away in 2013, survived by his wife and three daughters. His funeral was held in Dharamsala.