Anen Dawa, the last surviving personal bodyguard of the Dalai Lama, has passed away at the age of 83 in Minnesota, United States, according to the exile Tibetan government’s official website ‘Tibet.net’. He died peacefully with his family by his side on December 27, it added.
Born in 1939, Anen Dawa was only 15 when he joined the personal army of the Tibetan spiritual leader in Norbulingka. After four years, he was formally inducted in the army and continued to serve as personal guard to the Dalai Lama through his schooling in Sera, Drepung and Gaden monasteries for the next 4 years and particularly, during the Lhasa Monlam ceremony when the Dalai Lama was receiving Geshe Lharampa Degree in February 1959.
In the most critical turn of events in March 1959, when the Tibetan uprising was crushed and the threat of Chinese military attacks was ever-growing, on the fateful night of March 17 1959, Dalai Lama accompanied by tens of thousands of Tibetans fled into exile to India.