The Dalai Lama turns 90 on Sunday and celebrates his birthday amid reaction to his recent announcement that he, not China, will choose his successor.
PIEN HUANG, HOST:
The Indian town of Mcleod Ganj is home to some 10,000 Tibetan exiles. And in the last couple of days, they are in the mood to party.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: (Singing in non-English language).
HUANG: They’re singing and dancing, celebrating the life of the 14th Dalai Lama, their spiritual leader, who turned 90 today. Joining them are Buddhist monks from across sects and followers from around the world, including Richard Gere. NPR’s Omkar Khandekar is there in town attending the celebrations.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Singing in non-English language).
OMKAR KHANDEKAR, BYLINE: It’s barely dawn in the misty town of Mcleod Ganj and the courtyard of the Dalai Lama temple is packed. There are monks in maroon and mustard robes, Tibetans in traditional Chupa dress and some fluffy mountain dogs. They’re all waiting to welcome the birthday boy who turns 90 today. As soon as he enters…
(SOUNDBITE OF MARCHING BAND MUSIC)
KHANDEKAR: …A group of dancers in opera masks hop and whirl. Others fold their hands and bow their heads as the Dalai Lama slowly walks the red carpet, smiling and waving. Once he’s on stage, a group of singers gather in front of him.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
KHANDEKAR: They’re singing an ode to the Dalai Lama for a life lived in exile, a life lived in service of his people and fighting for a region that China has occupied since the 1950s.
UNIDENTIFIED MUSICAL ARTISTS: (Singing in non-English language).
KHANDEKAR: Over the decades, the Dalai Lama’s nonviolent struggle for Tibetan autonomy has earned him international recognition and a Nobel Peace Prize. But the Tibetan dispute is still unresolved. Lhagyari Namgyal Dolkar, a parliamentarian from the Tibetan government in exile, says she is tired of waiting.
LHAGYARI NAMGYAL DOLKAR: You know, China has learned how we function as Tibetan freedom movement, that we have been very passive so far. We have been led by a compassionate being, and hence, take us for granted.
KHANDEKAR: She says Beijing refuses to have a dialogue with the leaders of her government. And since their violent clampdown on Tibetan protests in 2008, critics say China is trying to change Tibet’s ethnic identity by forcing Tibetan kids into colonial-style boarding schools and moving mainland Chinese into Tibet. Namgyal says it’s time for the Sikyong – the exiled government’s president – to take a harder stance.
NAMGYAL DOLKAR: I believe that Sikyong should be very, very vigorous, very adamant that if you don’t respond to us, if you don’t respond to the memorandum of Tibetan autonomy that we are giving you, it’ll change to self-determination.
KHANDEKAR: This is very different from the Dalai Lama’s middle way policy that only asks for Tibetan autonomy. So how could China respond?
DIBYESH ANAND: If demand hardens, they’ll officially ignore and denounce both.
KHANDEKAR: This is Dibyesh Anand, professor of international relations at the University of Westminster. He says China refuses to recognize the Tibetan government in exile, but they are open to negotiating with the Dalai Lama’s representatives, even if it is just on his status and return. As long as the current Dalai Lama lives, there is room for dialogue. So before his birthday, the Dalai Lama had a big announcement.
DALAI LAMA: (Non-English language spoken).
KHANDEKAR: He said he hopes to live for another 40 years. After that, he said he will reincarnate, and their struggle for Tibet will continue. Omkar Khandekar, NPR News, Dharamshala.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
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