His Eminence the 6th Gongkar Dorje Denpa Rinpoche (b. 1977) is the Supreme Head of the Dzongpa lineage of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

Rinpoche’s predecessor met an untimely death in Tibet in 1959 and the monks of the Dzongpa lineage repeatedly asked His Holiness the Dalai Lama if their leader had reincarnated.

After careful examination, His Holiness ordered the monks to search in North-East India at the Tibetan border and, in 1988, Rinpoche was found in Arunachal Pradesh and recognized by His Holiness, during which time he was given the hair-cutting ceremony and the name Tenzin Jampal Lungtok.

His name was later extended by H.E. the late Chogye Trichen Rinpoche to be Tenzin Jampal Lungtok Namgyal.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama emphasized the importance of Rinpoche receiving a very in-depth education so he became the youngest student to enroll at Sakya College in Dehradun under the tutelage of the late Khenpo Migmar Tsering, eventually graduating in 1999 with distinction. In addition to mastering the thirteen great shastras of the Nalanda tradition as taught in the Sakya tradition, Rinpoche received the Compendium of Tantras, Compendium of Sadhanas, the complete Lam-dre and countless other tantric empowerments, transmissions and teachings from His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trichen and other great masters.

The first Dorje Denpa, Dzogchen Kunga Namgyal (1432–1496), was prophesied by Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava to be the reincarnation of his disciple Nanam Dorje Dujom, whom he foretold would reincarnate in Central Tibet as a monk called Kunga to elucidate the tantras.

Dorje Denpa Kunga Namgyal established Gongkar Choede in the Lhokha region of Central Tibet in 1464 to specialize in the tantric meditation teachings that are unique to the Dzongpa tradition that originated in Sakya, particularly following the teachings of the 14th Sakya Trichen, Lama Dampa Sonam Gyaltsen (1312-1375).

The monastery became famous not just for its unique Dharma teachings and practice, but also for its exquisite murals painted in the Khyenri style of Tibetan Buddhist art that originated there, and the annual cham dances that were inspired from mystic visions of the 1st Dorje Denpa.

The Great Fifth Dalai Lama (1642–1682) so admired this lineage that he gave custodianship of the 3D golden Kalacakra Mandala in his Potala Palace to Gongkar Choede, where they conducted the Kalackra rituals for world peace for many generations. He also established the Zhol Tsedrub Lkhakang in the village at the base of the Potala for them to do the White Tara rituals for long life and healing.

The Meru Nyingpa Lhakhang adjacent to the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa was also given to them to perform the protective rituals to their patron protector, Brahmanrupa Mahakala. Ever since, the Dorje Denpa Rinpoches and Dzongpa monks of Gongkar Choede have maintained a special closeness to every Dalai Lama.

Rinpoche re-established Gongkar Choede in Dehradun, India, in 2003. The monastery was inaugurated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Rinpoche was enthroned as the Head Lama of the lineage by His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trichen in the same year.

There, Rinpoche undertook many meditation retreats and mastered the tantric rituals of his lineage. In 2005, he began international travel to give Buddhist teachings in many parts of the world.

He established the Sakya Dzongpa Vajrayana Community in Taipei to give regular instruction in Taiwan.

At the request of local Buddhists in his homeland of Arunachal Pradesh, he undertook a project to eventually establish Gongkar Dorje Den there as a larger base for the Dzongpa tradition to be fully revived.