Tawang District was a Sub-Division of West Kameng District till 5th October 1984. This district is situated in the westernmost part of Arunachal Pradesh. The area of this district is approximately 2,172 Sq.km, bounded by Tibet (China) to the north, Bhutan to the south-west, and Sela ranges separated from West Kament district in the east.
The name of Tawang is believed to have derived its name from the grandiose of Tawang Monastery perched on the edge of the ridge running along the western part of Tawang township. The popular interpretation is that the name “Tawang” was given by his holiness the Mera Lama Lodre Gyatso.
“TA” means Horse and “Wang” means Chosen. As the legend goes the site of the present Monastery is believed to have chosen by a Horse owned by Mera Lama Lodre Gyatso. ng across the land of Monpa in the later part of 17th century according to the whises of 5th Dalai Lama.
At the instance of the Government of India, the first administrative centre at Tawang was set-up on 6th February 1951 by Major Bob Khating, a Naga officer of the Indian Frontier Administrative Service (IAS) and then Assistant Political officer at Charduar.
In 1984, on 6th October, this Tawang Sub-Division came into a full-fledged district carved out from West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.