Lobsang Yonten, a native of Lhoka in southern Tibet, was born into a modest family of local advocates. Prior to the Chinese invasion of Tibet, he was a monk at Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, where he served as a junior official, known as a Chapril, in the Loseling College.

In 1960, following the Chinese occupation of Tibet, he was arrested and subsequently imprisoned. He spent approximately 26 years in labour camps, where he was engaged in hard physical work as a mason. After his release in 1986, he found himself destitute and without familial support, ultimately taking up residence as a tenant in Tsasur House.

From around 1991 onwards, Mr. Lobsang Yonten began offering private tuition in the Tibetan language. What started as a small group of five to six students gradually expanded to around forty, reflecting both his dedication and reputation. He became widely regarded as a respected and popular teacher among Tibetan students