Choekyi and her husband, Tamdin, arrived in India on October 1993 after enduring two arrests during their attempts to escape into exile. They left Amdo because they were unable to pay the annual fine imposed for having a third child, and restrictive residence permits (themtho) prevented them from relocating elsewhere within Tibet.

During their first escape attempt, they were separated from their guide and got arrested by police in Tingri, where their belongings were confiscated and they were detained for seven days. A second attempt ended in arrest at a Nepalese border checkpoint; they were handed over to Chinese border police and imprisoned for another week before their eventual escape.