I shall appreciate if you will kindly post this on to the Bishop Cotton alumni site, so Kunsang’s contemporaries may be informed of his demise. We are proud that our uncle attended this prestigious school and received a great education, as well as other relatives of our family who graduated from Bishop Cotton.
9/16/10:
Dear Family and Friends, Last night Paljor, my brother brought the sad news on the passing away of our dearest uncle Kunsang Namdol, known as KN Shakabpa. Uncle KN was the oldest among his siblings, who attended St. Joseph’s School in Darjeeling and completed his Senior Cambridge at Bishop Cotton School, in 1954. He completed his college degree at the Mitchell College in Connecticut. He was instrumental in assisting his late father during the early years of the exile plight of the Tibetan refugees. Later he was a primary interpreter to his father’s Tibetan Political History text. His father was the last Finance Minister of independent Tibet, and the Dalai Lama’s first principal representative to New Delhi from 1959-66.He spent his last years in a state of blindness having lost his eyesight. He had so much information, and a lot of this went into the online pictorial website ‘The Tibetan Exodus’, from the interviews I had with him. His intelligence was brilliant, and his knowledge was vast. As with every human with weaknesses, and on my reflection for him, I felt he could have achieved more with a generous dose of wisdom. He was though a very sweet man. He was 74 when he passed away on September 16th, 2010.
Paljor, my brother took much loving care for him, as well as there was a deep concern for his well being from his loving sister Chukiela Shakabpa Wangdu, his brother TN Shakabpa, sister-in-law Norzin Tsarong Shakabpa, and the many nieces, nephews and relatives including myself. He was known to many fellow North Pointers and Old Cottonians. We shall appreciate if a small prayer was said for him, as this will be the biggest gift you all can shower him.
Respectfully,
Jigme D. Shakabpa
Madison Wisconsin USA
Old Cottonians Association
OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD. Old Cottonians Association of Bishop Cotton School Simla India.
Great fella he was : humble,humourous and generous. Shaky,he was affectionately called by his peers. I joined school in 1953 and was in his House: Ibbetson.He went on to become a School Prefect. Was kind and helpful always.Distinctly remember him sliding down a big hillside into a stream to save a little boy who had overbalanced during our outing on the backside “Pagdandi” to Chhota Simla bazaar.Also remember him as a good Footballer who used his head to strike the ball almost as much as he used his feet ! That’s the spirit with which I’m sure he served his Tibetan community.I read of his name when dealing with Tibetan Refugee Settlements,during a stint in the Home Ministry in the mid eighties.Do pray for good old Shaky.He was a noble human being.God bless his soul.
Gurpratap Singh Sahi I.A.S. ( Retd. )
Ibbetson 1953-56
Dear All:
I am very saddened by K.N. Shakabpa’s passing away. He was a very lovable guy, and, while junior to me, a good friend until I finished at BCS in 1952. We played and joked in pleasant humour, and shared many moments of laughter among ourselves. I remember him playing football with great gusto. By nature he was a little shy, but always gentle in manner. Though our lives went into different paths and I did not encounter him again, I remained aware of his (and his family’s) dedicated service to the Tibetan People, resident within or in exile from their homeland.
As a Buddhist, I imagine he has been re-incarnated again in finer form to continue his services to his gentle and humane people. So, while conveying my deep sympathies to his immediate and larger family members, I also celebrate a life well-lived in the service of the Peaceful Tibetan People.
Dr. Onkar Marwah
(Lefroy, 1950-1952)
Indian Aministrative Service (Retd.)
(currently) Distinguished Fellow,
Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies
New Delhi
May his soul rest in peace.My heartfelt condolences to his family.
K.Vijay Singh .1958-66
Very sad to learn of K.N.Shakapba’s passing ayay.
I pray his soul rests in eternal peace. My heartfelt condolences to his family members and may God grant them courage to bear this irrepairable loss.
K.N. was a remarkable Gentleman and a pillar of strength to his illustrious Father and others.
I do remember him as a exceptional footballer, and a good sportsman.
BCS and Rivaz house will always remember Him.
In grief
Ashok Sopory C-56.
Please accept my condolences. I did not know Kunsang Namdol (KN Shakabpa), but I will read up about this great man. What has happened in Tibet following China’s invasion is a shame to mankind.
I was a little boy when I joined BCS in 1954. I graduated in 1963. Like so many overseas students (my brother and I lived in Burma), BCS created many strong bonds between us.
Joe Joshi
Editor, Print & Broadcast News
South Carolina USA
R 54-63
EXTREMELY SAD TO LEARN OF HIS DEMISE, MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE !! I PRAY FR THE NEXT OF KIN/FAMILY THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO BEAR THEIR PERSONAL LOSS N MAY THE ALMIGHTY GIVE THEM THE STRENGTH N COURAGE TO ACCEPT SAME.
MY PERSONAL HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES,
MANJIT DAYAL
CURZON HOUSE 1953-1962
ROLL NBR: 531
May his soul rest in peace. I convey my heartfelt condolence on his demise. I shall pray to god that his soul rests in peace and also want that his family are able to bear the pain of loss by his passing away. I am sure with his work for the Tibetan people in their struggles he shall be much remembered.
A link that might be of interest to our readers [click below]:
The Tibetan Exodus