Sikyong (President) Penpa Tsering, born in 1963 in Bylakuppe, India, excelled academically and holds an Economics degree from Madras Christian College. He held roles including heading a private export enterprise and a restaurant. His student days saw him as General Secretary of Tibetan Freedom Movement and Nigerian Tibet Friendship Association. He served as Executive Director at the Parliamentary and Research Centre and Speaker of the 14th Parliament. Repeatedly elected to the Tibetan parliament-in-Exile, he represented His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Washington DC from 2016-2017.