Karma Dradul was born in 1976 in Nubri, Gorkha District, Nepal. He is the youngest son of Yogi Tsewang Norbu. At the age of 6, Karma began studying Nyingmapa rituals from his father. At the age of 7, he made a Buddhist clay statue of Namse by himself. Since then, after the discovery of his artistic talent, he began his apprenticeship in Tibetan traditional Buddhist art and techniques.
In 1996, Karma became a monk at Thrangu Tashi Choling Monastery in Boudha, Nepal. Upon entering the monastery, he spent a few years studying Kagyu rituals and Buddhist teachings. The Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche admired his artistic talent very much and sent him to Vajra Vidhya Institue at Sarnath (Varnasi), India. While there, Karma spent the first year completing twelve different deity Mandalas in the main shrine hall, and assisted with painting the remaining parts of the Insitute in the following four years.
In 1998, he had the opportunity of staying in Hong Kong, assisting with decorating and paintaing the Thrangu Center there for three months.
In 2000, Karma went to Taiwan to help decorate many Buddhist centers. After his return to Nepal, Thrangu Rinpoche sent him to build three Buddhist statues and complete the decorations for Nubri Hinang Monastery in Gorkha District.
In 2004, Karma went to Malaysia for two months to assist painting of the Thrangu Center in Malaysia. Again, soon after his return to Nepal, Thrangu Rinpoche assigned a new assignment to him – to oversee the artistic work for the new Namo Buddha monastery. No less than fifty people worked under his supervision.
In June 2008, Karma came to Canada as the chief artist to help build Thrangu Monastery in Richmond, BC. He is currently in charge of traditional Tibetan arts and Buddhist paintings and Mandalas for the monastery.
