Tendon Dahortsang (CH): Doctor or Lawyer – A Tibetan Mother’s Ultimatum

The Lawyer, the Fighter, and the Foodie

What happens when you're born stateless, raised by four monks in a Swiss village, and given a simple, but very straight ultimatum by your refugee mother: "Doctor or Lawyer"?

Tendon Dahortsang chose law, but her path was anything but conventional. Today, she is a high-powered inheritance lawyer and sits on the board of a Swiss bank, navigating the elite, male-dominated sphere of corporate Switzerland. But beneath the sharp suits is a fierce Muay Thai fighter and a Tibetan activist whose life was forever changed by a whispered plea from a monk when she visited the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.

In this episode, we explore:

The "Sans Papiers" Childhood: Arriving in Switzerland without citizenship and the psychological reality of growing up stateless.
Four Monks & A Baby: The incredible story of her mother's sacrifice to save her family and kids.
The Turning Point: A heartbreaking encounter in Tibet in 2003 that pushed her into global human rights activism.
From Activism to the Boardroom: Why she transitioned from leading the Tibetan Youth Association to conquering corporate law.
Muay Thai & Mental Health: How getting punched in the face became the ultimate stress relief for her.

Follow Tendon on Linkedin⁠ and food blog Instagram

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Music by Prod. Pluvio

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