Lama Karma Dechen Negi
Lama Karma Dechen Negi was born in 1962 in Chango, Kinnaur, India to a family of farmers. She attended the local school up to the 6th class and then, at her own insistence, became a nun at the Tilokpur Nunnery near to Dharamsala. When she was 22 she took her novice vows from the Tai Situpa, who gave her the name Karma Dechen Palmo.
From 1981 to 1983 she worked hard to help build the nuns three year retreat centre. From 1983 to 1987 she served as Nyerpa (Buyer of Supplies), and later Umsie, (the Chant Leader), at Tilokpur Nunnery.
From 1988 to 1992 she made her first retreat in Jangchub Samten Ling under the guidance of the Tai Situpa and the Drubpon Lama Tsultrim. After which the Tai Situpa appointed her the caretaker of Jangchub Samten Ling. In 1992 she entered her second three year retreat under the guidance of Mingyur Rinpoche. For this retreat she also was the Chotimpa, (Master of Discipline). From 1995 to 1999 she made her third three year retreat, again under the guidance of Mingyur Rinpoche during which she was an assistant Drubpon, (Retreat Master), and Chotimpa.
Lama Karma Dechen Negi has been invited to USA three times to participate in Tibet awareness programs, to Sri Lanka, Ladakh and Bodhgaya on women awareness meetings, and to Ireland.
She is currently managing the ongoing nuns retreat at Sherab Ling.
Her dream, she says, is to be able to extend the three year retreat centre to be able to take in up to 30 retreatants instead of the present 15 places. After this she hopes one day to be able to build a Nunnery for 200 nuns near to Sherab Ling.
Tai Situ Rinpoche with Lama Ani Dechen and Gyaltsen
