Born in Ganze, Kham, Tibet in 1953, Mr Dawa Thondup did his primary and secondary education ai the Tibetan School, Mussoorie, India, following the Chinese invasion of Tibet and the exile into India. He then graduated from Punjab University, India, in 1975.

Mr Thondup joined the Tibetan Govemment's Civil Service in 1974. He served subsequently in various departments since then, including a two-year stind as the Representative of Tibetan Government in Exile in the United Kingdom between 1978-1980.

In September 1992, he was appointed as His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Representative in charge of looking after the Tibetan interest in France, Benelux, Portugal, Spain, European Union and Unesco.