Venerable the 5th Choktrul Dawa Rinpoche, also known by his full name as Jetsun Khenrab Wangchuk Samten Tenpe Gyaltsen Pel Sangpo, passed away on 30 January 2022 in Lhasa at the age of 86. Rinpoche has remained in a state of 'Thukdam' deep meditative state.

He was sentenced to five years in prison for “protesting against the Chinese government” during the period of democratic reform in the 1960's. He was arrested again during the cultural revolution and subsequently sentenced to seven years in prison.

On 20 May 2010, the Chinese government handed him a seven years prison term after they claimed that the “reincarnation of the eighth Rongpo Choeje is closely connected to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.