His Eminence Venerable Kyabje Lati Rinpoche was born in the Kham region of Eastern Tibet in 1922. Following his recognition as a reincarnation of the great practitioner, Gongkar Rinpoche, His Eminence joined the local monastery at the age of ten.

When he was fifteen, Rinpoche traveled to Centra Tibet where he began his formal training at Gaden Shartse Monastery. His study included Pramana Vidya (Logic), Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom), Madhyamika (Middle Philosopy), Abidharma (Treasure of Knowledge), and Vinaya (Spiritual Rules and Moral Law). In 1956 Lati Rinpoche was awarded the Geshe Lharampa degree. The following year, he joined Gyuto Tantric College in Lhasa where he undertook the study and intensive training of Tantra. During this period he also served as tutor to many young reincarnate masters and gave numerous public teachings.

Belonging to a very rare class of scholar, saint and practitioner who completed his training in an independent Tibet, in 1959 Rinpoche followed His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama into exile, where he continued to spread the Dharma by teachings at various monasteries and schools.

In 1976 Rinpoche was invited to the United States to teach on a wide range of Buddhist subjects at the University Virginia and other centers of higher learning. After teaching in the United States for over a year, he returned to India where he was appointed the Abbot of the Shartse Norling College of Gaden Monastery which had be reestablished in South India. He served successfully in that post for eight years where, besides looking after the administration, law and order of the Sangha, he also taught extensively on all aspects of Buddhism. Rinpoche has authored many important books in Tibetan Buddhism including: Death, Intermediate State and Rebirth, Mind in Tibetan Buddhism, and Meditative States in Tibetan Buddhism. Currently, Lati Rinpoche continues a rigorous teaching schedule at Gaden Monastery where he has been appointed tutor to many of the young Rinpoches by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

A more detailed biography has yet to be translated. May His Eminence, Venerable Kyabje Lati Rinpoche live long and continue to spread the teachings of the Buddha for the sake of all beings.