George Patterson (missionary)


George Neilson Patterson also known as Khampa Gyau and Patterson of Tibet, was a Scottish engineer and missionary who served as medical officer and diplomatic representative of the Tibetan resistance movement during the Annexation of Tibet by the [People's Republic of China] as well as their liaison with the United States government and the Central Intelligence Agency.
He was married to the surgeon Meg Patterson.

Early life and education

Patterson was born on 19 August 1920 in Redding, Falkirk, Scotland and grew up in Laurieston, where he was a member of the Plymouth Brethren. His father, George Neilson Patterson, was coal miner and socialist, and Patterson had two younger siblings. When he was 11 years old, he suffered a bicycle accident, and because of head injuries he sustained, dropped out of school two years later. Patterson entered a vocational program with Carron Company, becoming a tool setter of machine presses by the age of 17. During World War II, he was involved in weapons manufacturing, frequently working 12-hour shifts every day of the week. As the war ended in 1945, Patterson was inspired by Sven Hedin's book Trans-Himalaya and a religious calling from God to move to Tibet. He subsequently donated all of his money away, and completed a one-year program at the Missionary School of Medicine in London.

Letter of Remembrance

The International Campaign for Tibet awarded him their Light of Truth Award on 25 March 2011. In a letter presented with the award, a simple butter-lamp symbolizing the light the recipient has shed on the cause of Tibet, the Dalai Lama's Special Envoy Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari said: "It is my honour to convey to you in writing the decision of the Board of the International Campaign for Tibet to award you the Light of Truth, the highest recognition in the Tibet world of service to Tibet. The Board of Directors, chaired by Mr. Richard Gere, took the unanimous decision with great enthusiasm and, on their behalf, I offer you heartfelt congratulations. It gives my added pleasure as a Khampa to be the person to officially bring this news to you, Khampa Gyau , the name by which His Holiness the Dalai Lama fondly and humorously called you."

Publications

Joint publications

with Meg Patterson

Contributor

Documentaries

Advisor and scriptwriter