Carpentry And WoodWorking
806 N. Tioga St., Ithaca, NY • Phone: 607-351-6257

About Kunga

aboutKunga Delotsang, carpenter, woodworker and owner of Himalayan Cedar, was born in Tibet.  When he was 13 years old, after the death of his mother, he fled Chinese occupied Tibet for India to be near his father, brother and the Dalai Lama.

As an apprentice to his father who was a tailor for the Dalai Lama, Kunga learned precision handcraft of joining pieces of silk and cloth.  Like most young, modern children, Kunga found a passion of his own related to, yet different than his dad’s: joining pieces of wood to craft furniture, bookshelves, fences and more.  At 18, Kunga attended a carpentry training program in Pokara, Nepal.  This was his first formal experience with woodworking.  Working with wood inspires Kunga because wood breathes, changes and is filled with life.

In 1996 Kunga moved from Northern India to New York with his wife, Heather.  From that time on, while raising three girls, Kunga’s profession in woodworking evolved.  For two years he worked at Tompkins Community Action retrofitting homes with energy savings solutions.  His is BPI certified and understands about energy efficiency, airflow and insulation.  He brings this knowledge to his carpentry work that involves home rennovations.  He has worked on other carpentry and construction jobs with some of Ithaca’s finest carpenters.

In 2008 he did a six-week long artisan program at Inside Passage School of Fine Cabinetmaking in British Columbia, Canada.  This program was founded on the teaches of James Van Norman and here Kunga learned details of fine joinery, veneers, curves and plane making.  This training greatly increased his knowledge and skills of furniture making and custom woodwork.

Kunga is continuously involved in small renovations and repairs on his own home and builds furniture for his family to use and enjoy.  Kunga’s skills include fence and decks, stairs, doors, windows, custom bookshelves, tables, cabinets and finish woodworking.  He loves nature, playing soccer, cooking, movies and his family.

Bod Gyai Lo! Love Live Tibet!

We are very happy with the work Kunga did in our home.  The work was of excellent quality and Kunga was 100% reliable and prompt in returning phone calls.  He knew just what to do when unexpected problems arose and he solved them all efficiently.  We definitely hope to work with him on future projects!

Mike F., Ithaca