Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama marked his 87th birthday by inaugurating library and museum in Dharamsala

Dharamsala, July 6, 2022: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Dalai Lama on phone and wished him well on his 87th birthday today and prayed for his long life and good health. Chief Minister of HP Jai Ram Thakur who was the official Chief Guest of Dalai Lama’s birthday celebrations in Dharamsala, virtually attended the celebration as he could not reach Dharamsala due to bad weather. Jai Ram Thakur also wished him on telephone. A large number of Tibetans, followers and friends of Tibet celebrated this auspicious occasion across the globe on 6 July with grand festivities and great hopes.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama marked his 87th birthday on Wednesday by inaugurating a library and museum in Dharamsala, the official headquarters of Tibetans in exile and the official residence of the Nobel Peace Laurite.

Acknowledging the celebration of the birthday with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the inaugural of the new Dalai Lama Library & Archive prior to the official ceremony in the main Temple complex in Mcleodganj in Dharamsala, Sikyong(Tibetan PM in exile) Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration CTA, highlighted the inability to celebrate His Holiness’ birthday inside Tibet despite Tibetan in Tibet’s wishes due to unabated restrictions by the Chinese government.

In the main function at Dharamsala the staunch supporter of Tibet Richard Gere, Chairman of International Campaign for Tibet, and the 104th Gaden Tripa Jetsun Lobsang Tenzin attended the event as special guest and guest of honour, respectively. Friend of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and staunch Tibet supporter Richard Gere addressing the gathering in Dharamsala and said, “Tibetans, you should be proud” since “once, not in a lifetime, once in a millennium, maybe in two millennia, such a person, such a human being as the Dalai Lama emerges and he is a Tibetan”

Forest Minister of HP Rakesh Pathania addressed the gathering as representative of CM Himachal in Dharamshala on Wednesday.

The official commemoration of the omnipresent celebration was also observed by the CTA-led Tibetans in Dharamsala at the courtyard of Tsuglagkhang earlier today.

The other guests of the official celebration include Jonang Gyaltsab Rinpoche, Rakesh Pathania (Forest Minister of HP), Vishal Nehria (MLA from Dharamsala), Gianni Vernetti (former Senator and Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affair, Italy), heads of the three democratic pillars of Central Tibetan Administration, Kalons, Tibetan Parliamentarians, heads of the CTA’s autonomous bodies and others.

The 87th birthday celebration of His Holiness at the Tibetan main temple also saw a wide variety of folk dance performances from various communities. At the same time, several awards were presented to the recipients during the event, namely the Department of education’s non-formal research program award, community health care award from the Health Department, service completion award and service excellence award of Central Tibetan Administration(CTA).