His Holiness Dungse Garab Rinpoche Appoints Kalsang Choephel as U.S. Representative of the Dudjom Kordikali Association
New York — His Holiness Dungse Garab Rinpoche has appointed Mr. Kalsang Choephel as the United States representative of the Dudjom Kordikali Association, the organization confirmed.
The appointment reflects the continued growth of Dudjom Tersar activities in North America and the need for coordinated leadership to support practitioners and expand Dharma programs nationwide. Mr. Choephel accepted the responsibility with gratitude and reaffirmed his commitment to serving both the lineage and the broader community.
In his new role, he will act as the primary liaison between Rinpoche and practitioners in the United States. His responsibilities include coordinating teachings and retreats, facilitating visits by lineage teachers, strengthening communication among regional centers, and supporting the organizational development of Dudjom Tersar activities across the country.
About His Holiness Dungse Garab Rinpoche
Dungse Garab Rinpoche is one of the principal younger-generation holders of the Dudjom Tersar lineage within the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Born in Brekha in eastern Bhutan, he comes from a distinguished Dharma family deeply rooted in Buddhist scholarship and practice.
He is the son of the late His Holiness Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, the grandson of the renowned His Holiness tertön Dudjom Rinpoche, and the younger brother of His Holiness Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. On his maternal side, his grandfather was Lama Sönam Zangpo of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage, a respected disciple of Tokden Shakya Shri.
Rinpoche received teachings and transmissions from His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, His Holiness Minling Trichen Rinpoche, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, and His Holiness Thinley Norbu Rinpoche. As both a direct descendant and a fully trained lineage holder, he carries the responsibility of preserving and transmitting the Dudjom Tersar teachings to future generations.
Based in Bhutan, he oversees Rangjung Monastery and associated retreat centers, monastic colleges, and religious institutions. He conducts major annual drupchens of Vajrakilaya and Tröma Nakmo and provides empowerments and teachings to both monastic and lay communities. Following the passing of Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, he also assumed responsibility for his father’s sanghas in the United States, including Kunzang Gatshal, where he leads annual retreats.
About the Dudjom Kordikali Association
The Dudjom Kordikali Association is an organization connected to the Dudjom Tersar lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. The name “Kordikali” refers to the fierce wisdom deity cycle known in Tibetan as Tröma Nakmo (Krodha Kali), a central practice within the Dudjom Tersar tradition.
The Association supports the preservation and transmission of Dudjom Tersar teachings by organizing empowerments, retreats, drupchens, and educational programs. It also helps maintain connections between lineage holders and practitioners and provides institutional structure for sangha activities, particularly in diaspora communities such as the United States.
Kalsang Choephel’s Community Leadership
Mr. Kalsang Choephel is widely recognized within the Himalayan diaspora for his extensive and longstanding community involvement. He previously served for 12 years as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the United Sherpa Association USA, where he played a central role in strengthening governance, expanding educational programs, supporting youth initiatives, and promoting cultural preservation among Sherpa and Himalayan families in the United States.
He currently serves as president of Dojum Dharma House in New York, a spiritual and cultural center dedicated to Dharma teachings and community engagement.
In addition to these roles, Choephel has been actively involved in numerous other community organizations and initiatives, including humanitarian efforts, cultural programs, social welfare projects, and inter-community collaboration efforts. Community members describe him as a consistent and dependable leader who supports religious, cultural, and civic initiatives across multiple platforms.
Kalsang Choephel’s broad experience in nonprofit leadership and community service makes him well positioned to coordinate Dharma activities nationally. The organization plans to expand teachings, retreats, empowerments, and practitioner support networks across the United States in the coming months. The appointment is viewed as an important step in ensuring that Dudjom Tersar teachings remain accessible, well organized, and aligned with Rinpoche’s guidance while serving the needs of growing practitioner communities in North America.
