American Council of Learned Scholars (ACLS) Public Impact Grant

Kadampa Painted Gateway Chorten in Karsha, Zanskar (Photo credit: Rob Linrothe, 2025)

We are honored to announce that Studio Nyandak has been awarded a 2026 Public Impact Grant in Buddhist Studies from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), supported by The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation. Six Public Impact grants were issued this year to projects that increase public understanding of Buddhist art, texts, and traditions.

Our project, Painted Gateway Chorten Restoration, will restore 15 Kankani chorten (painted gateway stupas) in Zanskar and Changthang, Ladakh. These structures, some with sacred murals more than 800 years old, are early examples of Tibetan Buddhist architecture now at risk of deterioration. Our team consists of international experts in heritage conservation, material science, architecture, and engineering, and Studio Nyandak, Dharamsala’s young Tibetan architects and engineers. Working with local craftsmen, we will approach each restoration with locally sourced materials and vernacular methods.

The project builds on our pilot restoration of Kadampa Chorten, above Chukchikjal Nunnery in Zanskar, and on our ongoing fieldwork with monastic communities across the region.

Kadampa Chorten after Studio Nyandak’s 2025 pilot restoration project.

This grant is a collaboration among Tenzin Nyandak, Dr. Mark Aldenderfer (University of California, Merced), Dr. Ingun B. Amundsen (Independent Scholar), Dr. John Harrison (University of Liverpool), Paul Laroque (Pratt Institute and Columbia University GSAPP), Dr. Rob Linrothe (Northwestern University), Dr. Karl Ryavec (University of California, Merced), Sandeep Sikka (Architectural Preservation Studio in NYC), and Yumtsokyi Bhum (Studio Nyandak). We are grateful to ACLS and the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation for their support, and to the Zanskari and Ladakhi craftspeople, monastic communities, and partners we work with.