Online Desk
The Dalai Lama, who turned 90 as per the Tibetan calendar on June 30, 2025, presided over celebrations at Dharamshala’s Tsuglakhang temple. Born as Lhamo Thondup, his journey in exile remains a powerful symbol of Tibet’s enduring spirit. .
At just two years old, Buddhist monks in disguise visit his home, searching for the Dalai Lama's reincarnation. In 1940, he was enthroned as Tibet's leader, taking the monastic name Tenzin Gyatso.
In 1950, China invades Tibet, crushing local resistance and claiming "peaceful liberation." He fled to India amid the crackdown on a popular uprising.
India grants refuge in Dharamsala, where a Tibetan government-in-exile is formed. He later shifts from seeking independence to advocating the "Middle Way" for autonomy, though China still labels him a separatist.
He wins the Nobel Peace Prize for promoting tolerance and mutual respect. He begins a global campaign, meeting world leaders and Hollywood stars to support his cause.
He maintains a rigorous monastic life, rising before dawn for prayers.
"I always consider myself as a simple Buddhist monk," he writes on his website. "I feel that is the real me."