In Memoriam: Robert A.F. Thurman (1941-2026)

It is with great sadness that the Department of Religion marks the loss of Professor Robert A.F. Thurman, who died on June 16, at home, in Woodstock, New York. A world-renowned scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, dedicated teacher, and public intellectual, Bob was the inaugural Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia, a chair he held from 1988 until his retirement in 2019. The author of numerous books, and stalwart champion of the translation of the Tibetan Tengyur, Bob inspired generations of Columbia and Barnard students in and beyond the classroom. He was also the co-founder of Tibet House here in New York City, and helped establish the Menla Retreat and Dewa Spa in Phoenicia, not far from Woodstock. A longtime friend and supporter of the Dalai Lama, in a letter to the Thurman family published yesterday His Holiness writes that “Bob lived a meaningful life and has left behind a legacy that will continue to inspire future students of Tibetan Buddhism and culture for generations to come. I am sure that the merit he accumulated through a lifetime of service to humanity will bear fruit in lives to come.” 

If you would like to share reminiscences and condolences, please email the Department at [email protected]. A commemorative event in the Center for Buddhist Studies is being planned for the Fall 2026 semester.