In a village in the pristine hills of the Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh, Padma Shri awardee Lama Thupten Phuntsok runs a residential school and orphanage for underprivileged children.

What started in a small shed-like school with only 17 students in 1998 is a flourishing temple of education today.

Lama Thupthen  smiles, “Students from the school have become lawyers, engineers, and IAS officers too.” Presently, the school provides food, shelter, and clothing to more than 300 students.

The children at the school are also provided with vocational training in fields like tailoring, wood carving, plumbing, and hotel management. They are even helped with securing employment following their studies. The school teaches all the subjects and is affiliated to CBSE up to Class 10.

Born and raised in Tawang, Lama Thupthen firsthand observed the lack of resources.

His early education was at a local monastery before he headed to Mysuru in Karnataka where he spent 12 years studying Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan language, ultimately earning a PhD in the same.

A return to his hometown served as a reminder of everything the place lacked. “I witnessed many challenges in the local community such as the absence of gynaecologists, leading to maternal deaths. Numerous road accidents were leaving children orphaned here,” he shares.

“The village facilities were extremely poor, and malnutrition was rampant. These issues led to a significant number of orphans in the area with nowhere to go,” Thupten adds.

The children would often end up living with their relatives who lacked the means to raise them, he explains.

With his savings, Thupthen decided to start a school. With help from the local army authorities, he levelled the ground and constructed small huts using mud, stone, and tin sheets. However, the absence of electricity, drinking water, and roads posed a challenge.

After months of perseverance, the team managed to construct eight rooms and employ three teaching staff.

Eventually, help poured in. Thupthen shares, “In 2003, the Dalai Lama visited our place and generously supported us financially, covering teacher salaries for five years. Gradually, we requested and received electricity from the government.”

For his efforts in child and women welfare, Thupthen was awarded the Padma Shri in 2007.