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33 Tibetan Buddhist Nuns Awarded Prestigious Geshema Degree in Dharamshala
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News18•21-10-2026, 14:45
33 Tibetan Buddhist Nuns Awarded Prestigious Geshema Degree in Dharamshala
- •Thirty-three Tibetan Buddhist nuns received the prestigious Geshema degree, equivalent to a doctorate in Buddhist philosophy, at a ceremony in Dharamshala.
- •The milestone event marks a major step in women empowerment within Tibetan monastic traditions, bridging a historical gender divide.
- •Graduates completed nearly two decades of intensive study followed by a rigorous four-year inter-nunnery examination process.
- •The Geshema degree program was opened to women in 2012 through the efforts of the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration.
- •With this ninth batch, the total number of qualified Geshemas worldwide has now surpassed 160.
Key Questions Answered
A total of 33 Tibetan Buddhist nuns were conferred the prestigious Geshema degree during a ceremony held in Dharamshala.
The Geshema degree is equivalent to a doctorate or a PhD degree in Buddhist philosophy, allowing female scholars to teach, debate, and safeguard Tibetan cultural heritage.
The Geshema degree was officially opened to women in 2012 through the joint efforts of the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration, with the first batch graduating in 2016.
