The First Ani Lopens of This Century

Ani Jigmey Wangmo and Ani Jangchup Choden were the first Bhutanese nuns to receive master’s degrees in the year 2005, from Shedrup Tsogyal Ling in South India. They were the second group to receive master’s degrees in Buddhist Studies from this nunnery. Jigmey Wangmo taught at Damthang Middle Secondary School in Haa for two years. Presently, she is a teacher at Sherab Yoesel Choling Nunnery. Ani Jangchup Choden is a teacher at Phajoding Middle Secondary School in Phuentsholing.

Ani Doctor Jampel Saldon was the first nun to receive a degree from Chakpori Tibetan Medical College in Darjeeling. She became a nun at Zilukha Dewachen Drupthop Gonpa in 1992 and studied there for seven years. She then went to study at Dehradun nunnery in India. From there, she went to Chakpori Tibetan Medical College where she received a degree in indigenous medicine in 2009. She is not a lecturer at Chakpori Tibetan Medical College.

Since then more Bhutanese nuns have achieved master’s degrees. In 2009, the first group of four nuns from Thekchok Kunzang Choden Nyingmapa College received master’s degrees. In 2010, the first group of eight nuns from Pema Thegchok Choling Nyingmapa College received a master’s degree.In 2012, the first group of four nuns from Shechen Ugyen Chozong received master’s degrees. Ani Namgay Lhamo received a master’s degree in Buddhist Studies in 2013 from Central Tibetan University for Higher Buddhist Studies in Varanasi, India. She is the first Bhutanese nun to receive the title of Acharya from this university. Ani Sonam Wangmo studied for 12 years at Jamyang Choling Nunnery, and she is the first Bhutanese nun to get a master’s degree from Delhi University. She is now doing her PhD in Malaysia.

As intended, I hope this brief guide to nunneries helps people who are interested in nuns and nunneries get the information they need; as a result, may any merit accumulated out of this action be beneficial to all sentient beings.