Created by Tom.Reding
Last edited August 13, 2025


Namgyal Institute of Tibetology
Entrance of the Institute building
Entrance of the Institute building
EstablishedOctober 1, 1958; 67 years ago (1958-10-01)[1]
LocationGangtok, Sikkim, India
AffiliationSikkim University
DirectorPassang D. Phempu
Websitetibetology.net

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology (NIT) is a Tibet museum in Gangtok, Sikkim, India, named after the 11th Chogyal of Sikkim, Sir Tashi Namgyal.[2] The institute employs researchers and one of its new research programs is a project which seeks to document the social history of Sikkim's approximated 60 monasteries and record this on a computer. Another project seeks to digitize and document old and rare photographs of Sikkim for knowledge distribution. Khempo Dhazar served as head of the Sheda, a Nyingma college attached to the Institute, for six years.[3]

History[edit | edit source]

The foundation stone of the museum was laid by the 14th Dalai Lama on 10 February 1957.[4] On 1 October 1958, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India, inaugurated the Sikkim Research Institute of Tibetology.[5] Sir Tashi Namgyal, the then Maharaja of Sikkim, changed its name into the "Namgyal Research Institute of Tibetology".[6]

Academic journals[edit | edit source]

The Bulletin of Tibetology is an academic journal published by the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology.[7]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. American University (Washington, D.C.). Foreign Areas Studies Division (1964). Area Handbook for Nepal (with Sikkim and Bhutan). U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 372–.
  2. Abhijeet Deshpande (19 December 2017). Backpacking North East India: A Curious Journey. Notion Press. pp. 228–. ISBN 978-1-946556-80-6.
  3. Silverstone, Marilyn. "Five Nyingma Lamas in Sikkim" (PDF). pp. 13-.
  4. Central Asia. Area Study Centre (Central Asia), University of Peshawar. 2006.
  5. "Darbar Gazette: Royal Charter of Incorporation of the Sikkim Research Institute of Technology". Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, British Library: EAP880/1/1/240. Sikkim Palace Archives, Gangtok: Kingdom of Sikkim. 1959. p. 42. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  6. American Institute of Indian Studies (1980). American Institute of Indian Studies Quarterly Newsletter. American Institute of Indian Studies. pp. 37-.
  7. "Digital Himalaya: Bulletin of Tibetology". Digital Himalaya. Retrieved 18 October 2023.

External links[edit | edit source]


27°18′57″N 88°36′17″E / 27.3159°N 88.6047°E / 27.3159; 88.6047