Geshe Phende Gyaltsen was from Jhongpa village, Lithang (Ch: Litang) County in Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province. He was detained in March 2022 for engaging in the renovation of Shedrub Dhargyeling monastery in Lithang.

Phende Gyaltsen visited India in 1985 to study Buddhism and received a Geshe degree (PhD from the Sera Mey Monastery in southern India. He later returned to Tibet.

In July 2022, Phende Gyaltsen was taken to a hospital in Lithang because of his ill health following his detention. And he passed away on 26 January 2023 due to torture he suffered in detention.