Nedo Kuchung Rinpoche was born on August 2nd, 1962, to Yab Lama Gandhir Rinpoche and Yum Yangchen. At his birth, he was given the name Nyidon Dorjee by his godfather who was his father’s best friend, Lama Chondrupla. When Rinpoche was five years old, his father Lama Gandhir Rinpoche attained nirvana and listening to the advice of the community who thought he was extraordinary, he got enlisted as a monk in Pema Ewam Chogar Gyurme Ling Monastery in Bir. Upon his enlistment, Kyabje Chokling Rinpoche gave him the name Pema Tsewang Kunkhyab.

When rinpoche was eight years old His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, Ranjung Rigpe Dorjee, had come to Bir to give ordinance to the local people. Upon seeing the young Rinpoche for the first time, His Holiness told Yum Yangchen to keep him clean as he was not an ordinary boy and advised her to wait for some time. At that time Rinpoche officially took refuge under His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa. Around 1972, a letter arrived from Karmapa’s seat in Rumtek, Sikkim but the letter came with an instruction that it could be only opened by Kyabje Chokling Rinpoche, Kyabje Khamtul Rinpoche and Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. When Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was giving his empowerment, « Dham Nga Zoe » in Bir, he opened the letter and summoned Yum Yangchen and the young Rinpoche. According to the letter, His Holiness the 16th Karmapa recognised the young boy as the sixth reincarnation of Nedo Kulha Kuchung Rinpoche who is the lineage older of the supreme Nedo Kagyu Lineage.

After a year, the young Tulku was sent to the Karmapa’s seat in Rumtek, Sikkim, with Lama Kunga who was the assistant and friend of the 5th Nedo Kuchung Rinpoche, Karma Kunkhyab Chokyi Singye. Nedo Kuchung Rinpoche studied in the school opened by His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa under the guidance of Kyabje Jamgön Kongtrul Rinpoche, Kyabje Gyaltsab Rinpoche, Kyabje Khenpo Chodrak Thempel Rinpoche, Kyabje Lama Thinley Paljor Rinpoche, Venerable Omzé Thubten Zangpo and Kyabje Thales Chamgön Rinpoche who tought him English.

When Rinpoche turned eighteen, His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa, summoned him and instructed him to go to Ladakh for a three-year retreat and oversee the Thubten Chokhorling Monastery under the direction of Kyabje Tsurphu Dupon Dechen Rinpoche. After completing his retreat at the age of twenty-one, Rinpoche returned to Rumtek, where His Holiness invited him to enrol in the second batch of the three-year eight-months retreat at the Samten Yeewong Ling Retreat Center in Rumtek, which was led by Kyabje Bokar Rinpoche. Following the retreat, Kyabje Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche after discussing with other venerable Rinpoches nominated Nedo Kuchung Rinpoche as the Dorjee Lopön or Vajra Master of the Rumtek Dharma Chakra in Sikkim, in accordance with the wishes of the Karmapa and the monk comunity.

Even after the paranirvana of H.H. the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa and, more recently, the paranirvana of H.H. the 14th Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche, Nedo Kuchung Rinpoche continues to propagate the teachings of the Buddha and serve the supreme Karma Kagyu Lineage under His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Trinley Thaye Dorjee. Nedo Rinpoche established the Philippine Nedo foundation in 1995 as his major Center in Southeast Asia and built the Nedo Chedu Chokhorling Monastery in Rumtek, Sikkim, India as two of his many compassionate initiatives to turn the wheel of Dharma.