Ven. Tenpa Yarphel was born in Chamdo Zagyu, Tibet on 13th May 1979. He became a novice monk in Tsenyi Namgyal Choekorling Monastery and learned prayer recitation, masked dance, and other rituals of the Drukpa sect of Kagyu. Later he studied fundamental Buddhist scriptures and philosophy at Khampa Ghar monastery and Serta Larung Ghar University.
After coming into exile in India, he joined Sera Jey monastery in 2001 for further Buddhist philosophy studies. In 2004, he joined Sarah College for Higher Tibetan studies and completed his Thorim Rigney Rabjampa (Bachelor’s Degree) affiliated with the Department of Education, CTA in 2008. He has worked as an editor at the Department of Religion and Culture, CTA, and edited three volumes of books on the history of over 300 monasteries including the four religious schools of Buddhism and the Bon religion of Tibet. He was elected to the 15th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile in 2011 and was re-elected to the 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile in 2016. As a Parliament Member, he has actively participated in parliamentary proceedings, official settlement visitations, and Tibet outreach programs. He is currently one of the members of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism and a member of the Standing Committee