The Sikyong (Tibetan: སྲིད་སྐྱོང༌, Wylie: srid-skyong, Lhasa dialect: [ˈsícóŋ]) is the political leader of the Central Tibetan Administration, a Tibetan exile organisation in India also known as the Tibetan Government-in-Exile based on the 2011 Charter of Tibetans-in-exile. The title was created in 2012 after the 14th Dalai Lama decided not to assume any political and administrative authority as the head of the Tibetan Administration for Tibetans-in-exile.

Head of the Central Tibetan Administration
སྲིད་སྐྱོང༌
Emblem of Tibet
Incumbent
Penpa Tsering
since 21 May 2021
Central Tibetan Administration
StyleHis Excellency
Member ofCabinet
ResidenceDharamsala, India
AppointerDirect popular vote
Term lengthFive years
Formation1907 (as Kalön Tripa)
8 August 2011 (as Sikyong)
Websitewww.tibet.net

The current Sikyong is Penpa Tsering. The Sikyong is the political leader of the Kashag, part of the executive branch of the Central Tibetan Administration. This office should not be confused with the "Chairman of the People's Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region" (西藏自治区人民政府主席).

The first directly elected Kalön Tripa was Lobsang Tenzin, the Samdhong Rinpoche, who was elected August 20, 2001.[1]

Before 2011, the Kalön Tripa position was subordinate to the 14th Dalai Lama[2] who presided over the government in exile from its founding.[3] In 2011, the Dalai Lama announced that his political authority would be transferred to the Sikyong.[4]

Kalön Tripa

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On September 20, 2012, the 15th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile unanimously voted to change the title of Kalön Tripa to Sikyong in Article 19 of the Charter of the Tibetans in exile and relevant articles.[5] The Dalai Lama had previously referred to the Kalon Tripa as Sikyong, and this usage was cited as the primary justification for the name change. According to Tibetan Review, "Sikyong" translates to "political leader".[6] The online Dharma Dictionary translates sikyong (srid skyong) as "secular ruler; regime, regent".[7]

Kalön Tripa

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Tibet

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No. Portrait Name
(birth–death)
Term of office Dalai Lama Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1   Tsarong Wangchuk Gyalpo
(1903–c. 1912)
1903 1912 8–9 years 13th Dalai Lama
(1879–1933)
  Chankhyim Trekhang Thupten Shakya
(?–c. 1920)
1907 1920 12–13 years
  Paljor Dorje Shatra
(c. 1860c. 1926)
1907 1923 15–16 years
  Sholkhang Dhondup Phuntsog [fr]
(1862–1926)
1907 1926 18–19 years
2   Langdun [fr]
(1906–1980)
1926 1940 13–14 years 13th Dalai Lama
(1879–1933)
14th Dalai Lama
(1937–1950)
3   Lobsang Tashi
(1897–1966)
1950 27 April 1952 1–2 years 14th Dalai Lama
(1937–1950)
  Lukhangwa [fr]
(1895–1966)
1950 27 April 1952 1–2 years
No. Portrait Name
(birth–death)
Term of office Dalai Lama Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1   Jangsa Tsangy 1959 1960 0–1 years 14th Dalai Lama
in exile
(1950–present)
2   Surkhang Wangchen Gelek [fr]
(1910–1977)
1960 1964 3–4 years
3   Gyurme Sonam Topgyal [fr]
(1896–1967)
1965 1967 † 1–2 years
4   Garang Lobsang Rigzin [fr]
(1905–?)
1970 1975 4–5 years
5   Kunling Woeser Gyaltsen [fr]
(1915–2001)
1975 1980 4–5 years
6   Wangdue Dorjee [fr]
(1919–1994)
1980 1985 4–5 years
7   Juchen Thupten Namgyal [fr]
(1929–2011)
1985 1990 4–5 years
8   Kalsang Yeshi [fr]
(born 1941)
1990 1991 0–1 years
9   Gyalo Thondup
(born c. 1927)
1991 1993 1–2 years
10   Tenzin Tethong
(born 1947)
1993 1996 2–3 years
11   Sonam Topgyal
(1940–2012)
April 1997 5 September 2001 4 years, 5 months [8]
12   Lobsang Tenzin
(born 1937)
5 September 2001 8 August 2011 9 years, 337 days
13   Lobsang Sangay
(born 1968)
8 August 2011 20 September 2012 1 year, 43 days

Sikyong

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No. Portrait Name
(birth–death)
Term of office Cabinet[9] Elected Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1   Lobsang Sangay
(born 1968)
20 September 2012 21 May 2021 8 years, 243 days 14th cabinet 2011-12
15th cabinet 2016-17
2   Penpa Tsering
(born 1967)
21 May 2021 Incumbent 3 years, 170 days 16th cabinet
17th cabinet 2021-22

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Donovan Roebert, Samdhong Rinpoche: Uncompromising Truth for a Compromised World (World Wisdom, 2006) ISBN 978-1-933316-20-8 (On August 20, 2001, Venerable Professor Samdhong Rinpoche was elected Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister) of the Tibetan Government in Exile, receiving 84.5% of the popular exile vote.)
  2. ^ The Charter of Tibetans in-Exile, Article 20 of the Constitution of Tibet, retrieved 2010-03-19.
  3. ^ The Charter of Tibetans in-Exile, Articles 19, 30, & 31 of the Constitution of Tibet, retrieved 2010-03-19.
  4. ^ Dean Nelson Lobsang Sangay: profile, The Telegraph, 08 Aug 2011
  5. ^ "Tibetan Parliament changes 'Kalon Tripa' to 'Sikyong'". Archived from the original on 2019-05-02. Retrieved 2012-09-24.
  6. ^ "Kalon Tripa to be now referred to as Sikyong". Tibetan Review. 2012-09-22. Archived from the original on 2013-10-17. Retrieved 2012-12-11.
  7. ^ "Srid skyong - Rangjung Yeshe Wiki - Dharma Dictionary".
  8. ^ Jay, Sophie (31 December 2012). "Former Tibetan prime minister, Sonam Topgyal, dies in Dharamshala". thetibetpost.com. Tibet Post International. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  9. ^ "The Kashag (Cabinet)". Central Tibetan Administration. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
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