2nd June, 1961 under the visionary guidance of the His Holiness and 14th Dalai lama Men-Tsee-Khang Sowa Rigpa Medical College and Hospital was initially founded in a small campus based in Chopra house with few students. In 1967 the college campus was relocated in Mcleod Ganj as Men-Tsee-Khang, Tibetan Medical & Astro. Institute. Then in 1982 the college campus was shifted to the present location where the headquarters of the institute operates. Since then, Men-Tsee-Khang college have continuously expanded and developed in terms of its educational systems and infrastructures driven by its administration. In June 2021 the NCISM Act. 2020 came into force and repealed the earlier Indian Medicine Central Council Act. 1970. The NCISM Act. 2020 sanctioned the registration of Sowa-Rigpa college under the Indian system of medicine and to reach the Minimum Standards of Education (MSE) which cover various aspects including infrastructure, faculty, curriculum, assessment and research.
In 2024 to 2025 under the governance of the current Men-Tsee-Khang Director Mr. Thupten Tsering la Men-Tsee-Khang Sowa Rigpa Medical college underwent a complete infrastructure renovation aimed at modernizing its academic, residential, and clinical facilities while preserving the traditional Tibetan essence of the institution. The renovation project was initiated to improve the quality of education, enhance patient care services, and ensure compliance with NCISM education standards.
The renovation upgraded academic block such as lecture halls with digital teaching aids and smart board systems, creation of modern laboratory spaces for materia medica, pathology and anatomy, new seminar rooms for group discussions and workshops. Hospital infrastructure enhancement such as upgraded Outpatient department (OPD) with modern consultation rooms and patient seating areas, expanded Inpatient department (IPD) with improved male and female wards, bathrooms and medical supplies, renovated Minor Operation Theatre and treatment rooms for traditional Sowa Rigpa therapies, enhanced diagnostic services like clinical lab, improved medicine dispensary unit with computerized prescription system.
Student and staff residential facilities such as hostel blocks for both male and female students with upgraded sanitation and security systems, modernised college office space with ergonomic furniture, modern technology and resources, high speed internet, collaborative spaces.
Refurbished auditorium hall with seating capacity, equipped with sound systems, projection facilities, air conditioning, and Tibetan cultural decor. The complete renovation of the Men-Tsee-Khang Sowa Rigpa Medical College and Hospital campus marks a significant milestone in the advancement of traditional Tibetan medicine and healthcare system. With upgraded facilities, enhanced learning environments, and modernized clinical infrastructure, the institute is now well positioned to serve as a leading centre of Sowa Rigpa in India and beyond.
