Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama News

Days before his 90th birthday, the Dalai Lama announced his successor will be chosen by "free Tibetans" and the Gaden Phodrang Trust, asserting that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue, defying Chinese interference.

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama's 87th birthday will be celebrated with great fanfare today The celebration will take place at McLeod Ganj Buddhist temple near Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh`s Kangra district Himachal Chief Minister Jairam Thakur would also take part in the cultural events as the chief guest

Emphasising the need for religious harmony, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Thursday said India is still the best country to uphold religious harmony and tolerance.

Amid Beijing's strident protests, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Wednesday said that India has never used him against China and urged that country to give Tibet meaningful "self-rule" and "autonomy".

Harmony among different faiths exists in India, which is unique in world, Dalai Lama said.

"The government`s position is well known and has not changed," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Gopal Baglay said.

A day after Mongolia said it would never again allow the Dalai Lama to visit the country, China hoped it will learn a lesson from the Tibetan spiritual leader's visit last month after which Beijing punitively hiked tariff on Mongolian trucks passing through Chinese territory.

Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has said that he may be the last to hold the title.