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Trulku Tsepak Dorjee Rinpochhe is born to a nomad family in the northern Tibet on the 10th day of 5th month of Dragon Year of Tibetan calender. It was in year 1939. His father , the village chief Baru Tamding Dorjee, even though a layman was a powerful practitioner who was much sought after by the villagers to perform the poojas. His mother was the kind and compassionate Mentsun Lhamo. There were lot of good signs when he was born. The name Tsepak Dorjee was given by the great Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpochhe who at that time was giving the sacred Rinchen Gterzod Wanglung initiation at a nearby village. He gave this name because he dreamt of the Budhha Tsepak med and he was sure of this newly born boy being an emancipation of Tsepak med, the infinite life Buddha. One of the most clear sign shown by the trulku is at the age of about 14months. When Trulku Tsepak could barely walk at the age of 14 months, he left his solid footprint on a stone, which could be done only by a reincarnation of a realised master. The stone is later taken by Ku-ngo Phala Thupten Oeden, who was then the Administrator of northern Tibet before being later promoted to the Chamberlain to then the young His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Ku-ngo Phala kept this stone in his Head Office which was later destroyed by the Chinese with the whole office building. At the age of about 22 months, two Lamas from Panchen Rinpochhe`s reincarnation search party came to Trulku`s home. They were the learned Kachen Dupthop and Kachen Norbu. Although the way to trulku`s home was not an easy one to find, they said they could not avoid coming there due to various signs which led them to come that far and remote place. The two Lamas showed the young Trulku Tsepak the rosary and damaru of previous Panchen Rinpochhe which were easily recognised by the small boy. He particularly said the word Nga, meaning `I` in Tibetan when he saw the photo of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. The boy was too small to speak properly but he spoke the word so clearly pointing his finger to the photo that the two Lamas could not control their emotions and started weeping with happiness and faith. They were very sure that this boy is the reincarnation of the late Panchen Lama in either one of the body, speech or mind form. After few months, the two Kachens, Ven. Belung Rinpochhe from Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and the Representatives of Ku-ngo Phala visited the young trulku. They offered the young Trulku Tsepak the dresses, the hat and other accessories of a Lama thereby re-affirming him as a re-incarnation of Panchen Lama in one of the body, speech or mind form. Later on Ku-ngo Phala personally visited the trulku. Before taking away the stone footprint with him, Ku-ngo Phala put the stone on everybody`s forehead as an act of blessings from the footprint. Trulku Tsepak being a re-incarnation of Panchen Lama got the final confirmation when the great Regent Radeng Rinpochhe said, `There is a tradition of every Panchen Lama visiting my Monastery once, and you are the one who is going to perform this important tradition for me`. He not only said this but also invited trulku for about a week to stay there. Trulku obviously had a very auspicious stay there at Radeng Monastery. No explanation is needed about Regent Radeng Rinpochhe as he was the one who has recognised His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama then few years ago. Radeng Rinpochhe also offered the young trulku, apart from the dresses, a small statue of Buddha, as a sign of his recognition of the young boy as reincarnation of Panchen Lama. The small statue of Buddha is still well preserved by Trulku Tsepak Rinpochhe. Later on Trulku Tsepak was selected as one of the final candidates of the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama who died in 1937. However due to the political situation at that time, Trulku Tsepak could not make it personally to the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and was left back home studying with his uncle Lachhung Rinpochhe . Apart from the boy who was finally selected as the re-incarnation of Panchen Lama, there was also a very deserving candidate from Kham who was conferred a new title that of Panchen Oetrul Rinpochhe, meaning thereby Panchen Candidate by Tibetan Government. Trulku Tsepak studied under his uncle Lama for a long time before joining the famous Digung Lima Changra for formal studies. There he was personally taught by learned Bodpa Trulku. Unfortunately, after about a year of his joining the formal education, he had to fled Tibet due to the arrival of red Chinese army. On arriving as refugee in India, Ku-ngo Phala (then the home minister of exile Tibetan Govt.) immediately recognised Trulku Tsepak. He later sent two messengers personally to pick up the Trulku from refugee camp of Manali to study with other Trulkus at special Trulku school at that time. At that time Trulku was away with uncle Rinpochhe to Simla for a longer period of meditation. Later on Trulku Tsepak Rinpochhe became one of the principle disciple of His Holiness Dudjom Jigdrel Yeshi Dorjee, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpochhe and Chadrel Sangye Dorjee Rinpochhe. He received numerous sacred initiation from them directly and personally. Trulku Tsepak Dorjee Rinpochhe is currently residing with his family in Boudha, Kathmandu, Nepal.