Tsarong

He was a close aide of the 13th Dalai Lama and played an important role in the early twentieth century politics of Tibet.

In his efforts to build up Tibet's defense systems and relations with European powers as well as to facilitate trade and strengthen the Tibetan currency, he made a series of diplomatic visits to British India.

[3] Namgang Dazang Damdu was born into a peasant family in Phenpo, north of Lhasa in 1888 according to the Tibet Museum (other sources suggest 1885).

In 1900, he was recognized by Khangnyi Jipa, a monk who served as an official of the Norbulingka palace and took on Namgang as his pupil at the age of twelve, considered very young at the time.

[2] The Qing suffered a humiliating defeat as well as a significant number of casualties and his success in the battle and protection of the spiritual leader and country won him notable acclaim in the eyes of many Tibetans who referred to him as the ‘Hero of Chaksam’.

[2][3] While in India, in early 1912, the Dalai Lama appointed Namgangla as the official Commander-in-Chief of Tibet, awarding him the title of Dzasa.

Early in 1912, after his appointment as commander, Tsarong was sent to Lhasa to work in close cooperation with the War Department established by the officials of the Tibetan government, Trimon and Chamba Tendar.

Tsarong gained practical and theoretical experiences by visiting neighboring countries and educating himself about their national policies and strategies.

This strong military force in Tsarong's ideology must also exert power over those within the country, driving out the threats from internal disunity and taking away local and class privileges in favor of a centralized military-based elite, a modern Tibetan state.

Despite this he remained a powerful figure and notably had strong support from the monks of one of Tibets important monasteries, Drepung who he had aided during a fracas in 1929.

This department had a number of functions, including to improve the quality of paper currency, stock pile arms, and to introduce electricity into Lhasa.

[3] In 1947, Dzasa along with ministers Trunyichemmo Cawtang and Tsipon Shakabpa spearheaded the Tibetan Trade Mission of the mint which sought to strengthen Tibet's currency and to increase hard gold reserves against paper.

He also used to talk about a foreign country where all the people suddenly came and asked to change paper money into silver and gold and the government had nothing, so the finance minister had to commit suicide.

The project was given the seal of approval from the Tibetan government and Tsarong had organised the purchase of steel girders from Calcutta to be used to construct it.

Dundul Namgyal Tsarong ("George"), Ngodup Wangmo, Tsarong Dzasa, Kunsang Lhakyi Tsarong ("Kate"), and Jigme Taring standing on the steps of Tsarong's house
13th Dalai Lama in Darjeeling, India on 18 May 1910
Tsarong (front left) pictured with other Tibetan officials and the German expedition to Tibet in 1938
Tsarong (far right) in Lhasa in 1938
Rai Bahadur Norbhu Dhondhup , Trimon and Tsarong
Tsarong and Tibetan monks captured by the People's Liberation Army in March 1959 in an image taken from a Chinese propaganda film. Tsarong would soon die in a prison before his scheduled " struggle session ".
Tsarong Dzasa (right)