Who is Gedhun Choekyi Nyima? The Panchen Lama, chosen by the Dalai Lama, missing for three decades
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday posted on X about the release of the
Panchen Lama
,
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima
.
"Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was only six years old when Chinese authorities abducted him 30 years ago. The Panchen Lama should be released immediately," Rubio posted on X.
His post highlighted the issue of the disappearance of the Panchen Lama.
Who is Gedhun Choekyi Nyima
?
In May 1995, the 14th
Dalai Lama
named Gedhun as the 11th Panchen Lama, the second-highest spiritual figure in
Tibetan Buddhism
.
Within days, he and his family vanished. Chinese authorities took the child into custody. Since then, Gedhun has not been seen in public, and the Chinese government has repeatedly denied requests to verify his well-being or allow access to him.
He was last seen on May 17, 1995.
Born on April 25, 1989, in Lhari County, Tibet Autonomous Region, Gedhun, now be 36 years, belonged to the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism.
The Panchen Lama is one of the most important spiritual figures in Tibetan Buddhism, second only to the Dalai Lama. The title "Panchen" means "great scholar" and traditionally refers to the spiritual leader responsible for guiding the Buddhist community and helping to identify the reincarnation of the next Dalai Lama.
It was formally bestowed by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century upon Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen, who became the 4th in a spiritual lineage retroactively recognized as the previous Panchen Lamas.
From then on, the Panchen Lama was seen as the second-highest spiritual authority in Tibetan Buddhism, just after the Dalai Lama.
Historically, the Panchen Lama and Dalai Lama share a unique spiritual relationship: each plays a key role in recognizing the other's reincarnation.
This makes the position politically and spiritually powerful—not just within Tibet, but also in the context of Tibetan autonomy and resistance to Chinese control. While Dalai Lama is historically based in Lhasa at the Potala Palace, the Panchen Lama is traditionally based in Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet's second-largest city.
In 1996, a year after the abduction of the 11th Panchen Lama, China named its own Panchen Lama: Gyaincain Norbu.
But many Tibetans and international observers regard him as a state-appointed replacement, not the true spiritual leader.
Today, Gedhun is believed to be around 36 years old, but his whereabouts remain unknown. The Chinese government insists he is "living a normal life," yet no independent verification has ever been allowed. The United Nations, governments including the U.S. and the U.K., and countless human rights groups have continued to raise concerns about Gedhun's fate.
Over the years, Beijing has offered vague assurances that he's 'living a normal life' and 'doesn't want to be disturbed.
' But no proof has ever been provided.
Tibetans mark his birthday each year with prayers and protests. For many Tibetans, the true Panchen Lama remains a powerful symbol of spiritual resistance and a painful reminder of what's been lost under Chinese rule. For them, Gedhun isn't just a missing boy, he is a symbol of their culture, faith, and struggle under Chinese rule. His disappearance continues to spark international concern and calls for transparency, even three decades later.
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