BRIEF HISTORY OF TIBETAN MEDICAL & ASTRO COLLEGE (MEN-TSEE-KHANG, DHARAMSALA, NORTHERN INDIA)

The Tibetan Medical College in Dharamsala was founded in the year 1961 under the guidance of His Holiness The Fourteenth Dalai Lama. Its management was regulated by the Religious Affairs Department. The aims and objectives of opening this center were to preserve the rich heritage of Tibetan medical science and to train more well-qualified doctors to continue the lineage.

Dr. Yeshi Dhonden was appointed as medical teacher with the dual responsibilities of residential doctor as well. The college started with a team of nine medical students who undertook practical work during the day time and theoretical lessons in the early morning and late evening. In 1963, Dr.Trogawa Samphel Norbu Rinpoche was appointed as medical teacher.

The Tibetan Astrology College started the same year. Dhue-Kor Lodoe Gyatso who came from the province of Tashi Khil of Dhomed, in Tibet, was the Astrology teacher and under his tutelage seven astrologers successfully graduated. In 1969, twelve students of both sexes were selected to train to become medical practitioners. That year has also witnessed the appointment of Barshi Phuntsok Wangyal as the medical teacher.

The third cohort which comprised fifteen medical students commenced medical studies in 1973. In 1983, Dr. Pasang Yonten Arya, a former student of Barshi Phuntsok Wangyal was appointed as medical teacher (later to become principal of the college) along with Dr. Lobsang Tashi. Dr. Lobsang Choephel and Professor Drakton Jampa Gyaltsen were appointed as teachers in the Medical and Astrology Colleges subsequently. Dr. Tenpa Choephel, who was also a student of Bashi Phuntsok Wangyal was appointed as medical lecturer in 1987 and was later promoted to the post of vice principal of the Medical and Astrological College.

At present the Tibetan Medical and Astrology Institute (TMAI) is run by five medical lecturers, two Astrology Lecturers and a lecturer in Tibetan culture. So far, more than a hundred students have graduated from this medical college and are actively serving different communities throughout the world.

The 11th cohort comprising twenty two medical students and the 12th cohort having twenty seven medical student are presently taking academic courses together with the 6th cohort of seven Astrology students. To date, twenty six astrologers have successfully graduated from this Institute.
Starting with the 9th and 10th cohorts, the students of TMAI have published an annual students magazine called "Gang-Ri-Lang-Tso" in both Tibetan and English languages. The students have to attend four teaching periods a day with two periodsof modern science in a week. The Gyu-Shi is the main canon on which they study, along with reference to commentaries such as Be-Dur-Nyon-Po, Mai-Poi-Shel-Lung and Kyem-Pa-Tse-Wang. Other relevant texts are also referred to and integrated in their studies. The medical students are additionally introduced to the identification of various herbs and their medicinal value by visiting places where the herbs are growing in their natural habitat or during the dry season, through showing of slides. After every two years the students has to sit for test on herb identification and those who do well are rewarded.