Tashi Rabgias
Tashi Rabgias (born 1927) is an Indian scholar and historian belonging to Leh, Ladakh. He is a scholar of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. He commands great expertise over the bhoti language. He has many books to his credit. He has collected more than 200 folk songs for which he was awarded a Robe of Honour by the Art Culture and Language Department, Govt of Jammu and Kashmir.
Early life
He was born in the Tukchu family of Sakti village in Leh. He had an inclination towards Buddhist philosophy and its ways of life from a very early age.
Career
He was the first Personal Assistant to the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, from 1953 to 1958 when Kushok Bakula Rinpochey was a deputy minister in the J&K Government. He has also worked as an Asstt. Editor / Cultural Officer, Gangtok (Sikkim). He served as the incharge Ladakhi Programmes on Radio Kashmir Srinagar from 1960 to 1962. Later he was appointed as a lecturer of Buddhist Studies at the University of Delhi in 1963. He also worked as Information Officer, J&K Government from 1964 to 1982. He has been involved a wide array of social life being the founder President of the Ladakh Cultural Forum, Leh. Besides, he has been the Secretary, Ladakh Buddhist Association for 7 years from 1964 to 1970. He was also associated with the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi as a member of the General Council during the period 1998–2000. He also served as Education Officer in Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LeDeG), an NGO. He is one of the founding members of International Association for Ladakh Studies. He has a Chair in the name of Gyalwa Lungchen Rabjam at the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, Leh in recognition of his services to Buddhist studies.
His book Kunsel Melong is a study of the history of Ladakh from pre-historic times up to 1947. Apart from the regular political history it also contains many other aspects like the Buddha's teachings, economy, dynasty and religious history. He also started some newsletters titled Yargyas Kongphel and Temdel Sargyur in bhoti language. Some of his major contributions are:
- Five books including Natir Puja (1961, play translated from English to Bhoti).
- History of Ladakh from early times to 1947 in Bhoti language. 1st edition-1984, 2nd edition-2006.
- Ancient Futures translated from English to Bhoti language.
- Collection of 127 Ladakhi Folk Songs published in 1970 by Cultural Academy J&K state.
- Collection of articles in English titled, Ladakh Tradition and Change in 2004.
- Collection of 115 original songs written in Bhoti language, titled Jiksten Kuntoo Gawey Lu in 2007.
- Zosgar Tuski Melong1st edition-2003: about the problems of wildlife written in a drama where the characters are wild animals.
- Mangski Ringluks 1st edition-2003- about democracy.
- Sustainable Spirituality in Buddhism in 2009.
- Contributions made for preparing tex-books in Bhoti language for schools in Ldadkh region.[1]
Later years
Presently he acts as the patron of the International Association for Ladakh Studies.He is now the only living patron of the organisation after the death of Kacho Sikander Khan, his co-patron and contemporary historian from the neighboring Kargil district .
Awards
- Robe of Honour – 1971.
- Sahitya Academy Bhasha Samman – 1998.
- 1st Zings-tak Award by Ladakh Buddhist Association Youth Wing through the Dalai lama in May-1999.
- Dogra Rattan – in October, 2007.
- Honour of Citation and cash award was given by Governor of J&K state on the occasion of Golden Jubilee of the Central Institute of Buddhist studies Leh.
- State award-2008 for contribution to literature, history and culture of Ladakh [2][3]
References
- ↑ Ladakh, Reach (2013-10-18). "In Conversation with Tashi Rabgias". Reachladakh.com. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
- ↑ "Names of State Awardees" (PDF). Jkgad.nic.in. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
- ↑ "Daily Excelsior State". Dailyexcelsior.com. Retrieved 2016-05-12.