Bomdila Tibetan Settlement office was established in the year 1965 and it is a scattered Tibetan settlement. There are mainly five different places under its jurisdiction where scattered Tibetan families are settled which are Bomdila, Dirang, Rupa, Tenga in West. Kameng district and Tawang in Tawang district.

In 1959 many Tibetans escaped and passed through Tawang from Tsona (Tibet) to India in exile and many Tibetans settled in and around Tawang, Dirang and Bomdila during that time. Most of them were employed in road making works which served as the main livelihood and also there were few traders among them. During the Sino-India war of 1962, many Tibetans fled and resettled in other exiled Tibetan settlements in India and few returned back after the war ended. Also, many Tibetans moved to Tenzingang Tibetan Settlement which began in the year 1972 and it is 41 km away from Bomdila.

Bomdila Tibetan Settlement office is located near Thupchog Gatseling Monastery which is locally known as the Lower Gonpa. Bomdila is the head quarter of West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh State of India. It has an average elevation of 2415 metres (7923 feet). Average rainfall is 9.6 inches during monsoon. The wet season is cool and mostly clouded and the dry season is cold and clear. The temperature typically varies from 31°F to 66°F and is rarely below 27°F or above 70°F.

Bomdila Settlement Office is maintained by a Coordinator Officer who is the in charge of the office and is responsible for the administration work as well as the welfare of the scattered Tibetan community. He is appointed by the Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamshala and works under the authority of the Settlement Officer of Tenzingang settlement, whose jurisdiction includes both Tenzingang & Bomdila Settlement.

Since there are only scattered refugee families under the care of Bomdila Settlement office, we don’t have schools and clinics except a branch of Tibetan Mentsee-Khang. There are two Tibetan monasteries which come under this office which are Sera Jey Jamyang Choekhorling Monastery located in Tawang and Mon Jonang Tashi Choethang Gon in Dirang.

There is Regional Tibetan Freedom Movement (BRDL) in Bomdila and Tawang and their member also acts as intermediary with relevant authorities and they have been assisting the office with regard to its administrative works.

Travel Mode:

Bomdila can be reached from either Guwahati (320 km) or from Tezpur (162 km) by road. There are sharing taxis and bus services available daily for travel to and fro. The nearest airport is in Tezpur, Assam and the closest railway station is Rangapara Railway station in Assam.