At the heart of the Tibetan educational tradition is the lineage of teachers. These teachers assume leadership roles from generation to generation, one generation taking responsibility for teaching the key texts to the next, transmitting the central doctrines, and exemplifying the important accomplishments attained from taking the wisdom of the lineage teachers to heart. For some centuries, this lineage of wisdom has become institutionalized in the Tibetan academy, referred to as the "shedra."

Nitartha is focusing initially on the educational requirements of the Kagyu shedra by restoring key texts of the Kagyu curriculum. Dzogchen Ponlop, Rinpoche, a graduate of the Kagyu shedra, oversees this critical project with the guidance of Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche and Khenchen Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, the heads of the primary Kagyu shedra in India.

Scholars located throughout the world, many of them graduates of a shedra, are assisting with the editing and annotation of the texts. By applying modern PC word processing technologies to the editing process, Nitartha provides its senior editors with the means to transform texts into annotated reference works. Nitartha is utilizing all its resources, including digital text restoration, software development, publication and editorial acumen, in order to restore and republish these texts central to the Kagyu academy, which over the centuries has been guided by the Gyalwang Karmapas, who have authored the Key Texts: .