Amchi Jamyang Tashi Tsona
Amchi Jamyang Tashi Tsona was born at Tsona (southern part of Tibet) to Mr. Wangdrak Choephel and Mrs. Sonam Dolma in 1918. As past of his kind guidance, Tsona Rinpoche (head lama of Tsona), recommended him to study Tibetan Medicine at Lhasa Men-Tsee-Khang in Tibet (Lhasa Tibetan Medicine & Astrological Institute). Amchi Jamyang Tashi followed the study under the eminent master Lamen Khenrab Norbu, the personal physician of the 13th Dalai Lama. After completing his medical studies, Amchi Jamyang Tashi specialized in compounding herbal medicines. He served as chief pharmacologist for 8 years at the same institute.
With the special permission of his master, he went back to serve the people in the Tsona region. He was appointed as the personal physician of Tsona Rinpoche, and so he is popularly known as Tsona Amchila. Like thousands of Tibetans, he escaped from Tibet to India in 1960, where he worked as a road worker. Again in 1962, due to the war between India & China, he fled to Poanta, North India with his wife & many other Tibetans. There he continued as a road worker.
In 1963, he received an invitation from the Tibetan government in exile to join the newly established Tibetan Medical Centre, Dharamsala, India. He joined the centre in the same year and took charge of the pharmacy department.
In 1984, he gave the rGyud-Zhi (Four Medical Texts) oral transmission to the 5th and 6th year medical students and his senior students.
He received a certificate of service recognition by Men-Tsee-Khang on the 23rd of March 1996 for his 23 years of dedicated service at a very difficult time in the history of the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute of His Holiness The Dalai Lama.
On the Golden Jubilee Celebration of Men-Tsee-Khang on 23rd March 2011, Amchi Jamyang Tashi was awarded a special memento for his more than 20 years of service. The ceremony was blessed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
He was one of the first Tibetan amchies who went with their medical students to Marhilha, Rothang & Triud (Himachal Pradesh) and identified many rare Tibetan herbs and plants. With his excellent teaching and his warm heart, he was much beloved by his students like their own father. In 1976, he was appointed as the personal physician to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and remained his physician until he (Amchi Jamyang Tashi Tsona) passed away in 1986.
His sons, Amchi Lobsang Tsultrim, based in Ede, The Netherlands and Amchi Tenzin Chokden in Dharamsala, India, are following in his footsteps and keeping the rich culture alive. Tenzin Thongdol, the daughter of Amchi Lobsang Tsultrim has also studied Tibetan Medicine. Tenzin Dawa, the son of Amchi Lobsang Tsultrim, has studied Tibetan Massage.