Gyalo Thondup, Dalai Lama’s Brother, Passes Away at 97

Gyalo Thondup, the elder brother of the 14th Dalai Lama and a key figure in Tibetan politics, passed away at 97 in India. Born in Taktser, Amdo, he played a crucial role in Tibet’s political affairs, serving as an unofficial envoy for his brother. He collaborated with the CIA in the 1950s to support Tibetan resistance and later engaged in talks with China. Thondup spent his later years in Kalimpong, India, where he ran a noodle factory. His autobiography, The Noodle Maker of Kalimpong, details his life and Tibet’s political struggles.