Khenpo Sonam Tsegyal Rinpoche, abbot and doctor of Buddhist Philosophy, first took vows with Togdhen Choelig, the great yogi of the Drukpa Kagyu in 1971.  In 1980 he received teachings on the Vinaya, on Madhyamika and the Prajnaparamita, as well as old tantric empowerments and transmissions from many Nyingma masters, like Khenpo Thubten and H.H. Dilgo Khyentse. His teachers of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage are H.H. the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang and H.E. Garchen Rinpoche.
From 1998 to 2001 he went into three year retreat, after which he was given his title of Khenpo. Since then he has been teaching at the Drikung Kagyu Nunnery and at the new Kagyu College. He travels to give Dharma teachings and to conferences. He was invited by the office of H.H. the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala to attend the International Conference on the Buddhist Nuns Ordination Lineage.
In 2007 he authorized a book about the "Seventeen Scholars from Nalanda University".