Veronique Renard| Transgender Woman

Veronique Renard is a Dutch author and visual artist who works by the name Pantau. She adopted the name after meeting the Dalai Lama in India in 2000. The name meant “to be helpful,” which has served as her anchor in making great contributions for other people through her work. Renard is a transgender woman who made the transition in 1982 at age 17. Unlike other transgender women and men, Renard is fortunate to have had the support of her family and friends. After working in the corporate world for many years, Renard moved to the Indian Himalayas and dedicated her time and work to helping the Tibetan community. She wrote about the people of Tibet and its rich culture, hoping to create more awareness about the community on a global platform.

With a little investment money on the side, Renard put up the Pantau Foundation to raise funds for Tibetan refugee children in exile in India. The foundation has gathered many prominent people to help the children, including New-York based friends John Parker and Sebastian Bond.