Pagbalha Geleg Namgyai (Tibetan:འཕགས་པ་ལྷ་དགེ་ལེགས་རྣམ་རྒྱལ་;Chinese:帕巴拉·格列朗杰; born February 1940) is the 11thQamdoPagbalha Hutuktu [fr] ofTibetan Buddhism and a politician of thePeople's Republic of China. He is aVice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and the Honorary President of theBuddhist Association of China. He also formerly served as aVice Chairman of the National People's Congress, Vice Chairman of theTibet Autonomous Region, and Vice President of the Buddhist Association of China.[1] As a Tibetantulku (incarnatelama), he is notable for his willingness to work in the Chinese government, except during theCultural Revolution.[2]
Pagbalha Geleg Namgyai was born in February 1940 inLitang County, in present-dayGarzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture ofSichuan Province. In 1942, he was recognized as the 11th incarnation ofPagbalha Hutuktu.[1][2] He is a member of theQangdin Monastery inQamdo, Tibet.[3]
Following theBattle of Qamdo in 1950, Pagbalha Geleg Namgyai was appointed Vice Chairman of the Qamdo Liberation Committee at the age of 10.[1][2] From 1952 to 1956 he studiedBuddhist sutras at theSera Monastery inLhasa.[citation needed] In 1956 he became a member of theTibet Autonomous Region Preparatory Committee, and appointed its Vice Chairman in 1960.[2] He also served as Chairman of the Religious Affairs Committee from 1956 to 1965, and visitedBeijing several times, together with the10th Panchen Lama.[2] In 1959, he became aVice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (3rd CPPCC National Committee).[1]
As a Tibetantulku, he is notable for his willingness to work in the Chinese government since boyhood, except during theCultural Revolution (1966–1976),[2] when he was sent to perform manual labour.[1]
After the end of the Cultural Revolution, he resumed his position as Vice Chairman of the CPPCC, and was most recently re-elected in 2013 to the position in the 12th CPPCC National Committee.[1] From 1993 to 2002, he served as Vice Chairman of the CPPCCTibet Autonomous Region (TAR) Committee, Vice Chairman of the TAR People's Congress Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the TAR People's Government, and Vice President of theBuddhist Association of China. From 1993 to 2003 he also concurrently held the post ofVice Chairman of the National People's Congress.[1] Since 2002 he has been the Honorary President of the Buddhist Association of China.[1]
Pagbalha Geleg Namgyai had an elder brother namedKamqoin Soinam Gyamco [zh]. According to Chinese sources, he was killed by the rebels during the March1959 Tibetan uprising, in front of Lhasa'sNorbulingka.[4]
| Religious titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Pagbalha Hutuktu [zh] 1942–present | Incumbent |
| Assembly seats | ||
| Preceded by | Chairman of theTibet Autonomous Regional Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference 1993–present | Incumbent |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by | President ofChina Committee of Religion and Peace [zh] 2009–present | Incumbent |
