Obituaries

Robert Thurman, Dalai Lama’s First Western Monk, Passes Away at 84

Published on 19 Jun 2026

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Robert Thurman, Dalai Lama’s First Western Monk, Passes Away at 84
  • Robert A.F. Thurman, renowned Columbia University professor, Padma Shri awardee, and father of actress Uma Thurman, died on June 16, 2026, at the age of 84.
  • He made history as the first Westerner ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist monk by the Dalai Lama.
  • Born in 1941, his early life was rebellious — expelled from school for joining Castro’s guerrillas in Cuba.
  • A life-changing accident in 1961 led him to drop out of Harvard and travel to Asia in search of spiritual wisdom.
  • He dedicated his life to bridging Tibetan Buddhism with Western audiences and preserving Tibetan culture.
Source: SarkariPariksha