Robert A.F. Thurman, Padma Shri awardee and Indo‑Tibetan Buddhist scholar, died in Woodstock, New York on 16 June 2026. He co‑founded Tibet House US and served as Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo‑Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University.
Major affiliations
- Padma Shri (2020): Conferred for contributions to literature, education and promotion of Buddhist thought.
- Tibet House US (co‑founder, 1987): New York‑based non‑profit for preservation of Tibetan culture; co‑founders included Richard Gere and Philip Glass.
- Columbia University: Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo‑Tibetan Buddhist Studies; taught for roughly three decades; retired 2019–20.
- Ordination: First Westerner ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist monk by the Dalai Lama.
Scholarly contributions
- Translations: Produced English translations from the Tibetan Kagyur, including the Vimalakirti Sutra.
- Academic focus: Indo‑Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, textual translation and transmission of Tibetan Buddhism to Western academia.
Exam‑relevant facts
- Kagyur: Tibetan canonical collection of Buddha’s teachings (sutras and tantras) translated into Tibetan.
- Jey Tsong Khapa: Founder of the Gelug school (1357–1419); academic chairs in his name support formal study of Tibetan Buddhism.
- Padma awards: Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in India; conferred under statutes issued by the President of India.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Tibet House US: Functions as an educational non‑profit established in the USA (1987) to document and preserve Tibetan cultural heritage.
- Academic linkage: Indo‑Tibetan Buddhist studies commonly span South Asian Studies, Religious Studies and Asian languages departments in universities.