Migmar Dhondup, a native of Gyantse, was the son of Dawa Dolma and a father who had passed away. He pursued his education with dedication, attending Mangtso Village Primary School, Gyantse Dzong Junior School, Xian School, Dao Drung School, and later graduating from Tibet University in Lhasa. Despite being a capable and hardworking student, he experienced systematic discrimination, as Chinese students were given preferential treatment and teaching posts were often allocated through corruption and personal connections.

On 12 March 1988, amid heightened tensions between Chinese and Tibetan students, Migmar Dhondup was arrested after being identified in a photograph taken during a demonstration. He was severely beaten and detained for four months without trial or any form of due process. Following his release, he was denied a teaching position and was again imprisoned for more than four months, this time on vague accusations of bringing disrepute to his region.

With no future prospects and facing continued harassment, Migmar Dhondup fled Tibet on 11 April 1991. He later secured a clerical job near the Bhutan border, where he was subjected to exploitative working conditions. While attempting to reach India, he was robbed and recaptured, leaving him physically exhausted and severely emaciated. Despite these hardships, he finally crossed into India on 28 April 1991, seeking refuge and freedom from repression.