The founder of the Tenzin Gyatso Institute is Tibetan Buddhist teacher Sogyal Rinpoche, author of the ground-breaking The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, who has taught in the West now for over 30 years. Rinpoche is renowned worldwide because of his special gift for conveying the heart of the teachings of Buddha in a way that is both authentic and deeply relevant to the modern mind. He is the founder and spiritual director of Rigpa, an international network of Buddhist centers and groups in forty-one countries that enjoys the gracious patronage and guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Since 1973, when he played a key role in His Holiness's first visit to the West, Rinpoche has tirelessly supported the Dalai Lama, communicating his message and his teachings wherever he goes. The Tenzin Gyatso Institute is the realization of Rinpoche's lifelong wish to make a lasting contribution to His Holiness's work and to help safeguard it over the years to come

Born into the Lakar family in Kham in Eastern Tibet, Sogyal Rinpoche was recognized as the incarnation of Lerab Lingpa Tertön Sogyal, a teacher to the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö, one of the most outstanding spiritual masters of the twentieth century. Jamyang Khyentse supervised Rinpoche's training and raised him like his own son.

In 1971, Rinpoche went to England where he received a Western education, studying Comparative Religion at Cambridge University. He went on to study with many other great masters, of all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, including Dudjom Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche, serving as their translator and aide.

With his remarkable gift for presenting the essence of Tibetan Buddhism in a way that is both authentic and profoundly relevant to the modern mind, Sogyal Rinpoche is one of the most renowned teachers of our time. He is also the author of the highly-acclaimed and ground breaking book, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Over 2.8 million copies of this spiritual classic have been translated in 34 languages and is available in 80 countries. It has been adopted by colleges, groups and institutions, both medical and religious, and is used extensively by nurses, doctors and health care professionals.

Rinpoche is also the founder and spiritual director of Rigpa, an international network of 130 centres and groups in 41 countries around the world. He has been teaching for over 30 years and continues to travel widely in Europe, America, Australia, and Asia, addressing thousands of people on his retreats and teaching tours.