Dalai Lama turns 87, PM Modi wishes him on phone

The Dalai Lama turned 87 on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi wishing the Tibetan spiritual leader on the phone and his supporters celebrating at a grand event here attended by ministers and lawmakers among others.

To mark the occasion, the Dalai Lama inaugurated a library and a museum in Dharamshala, where the headquarters of the Tibetan 'government-in-exile' and the residence of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate are located.

Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakashi Lekhi and Minister of State for Law S P Singh Baghel attended an event organised by the Bureau of Dalai Lama in Delhi to celebrate his birthday.

The main event at the Buddhist temple complex in Mcleodganj was attended by a large number of his followers and several prominent people, including Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Satyapal Singh Baghel, Himachal Pradesh minister Rakesh Pathania, local MLA Vishal Nehria, actor-activist Richard Gere, former diplomats and office-bearers of the Tibetan administration.

''Conveyed 87th birthday greetings to His Holiness the Dalai Lama over phone earlier today. We pray for his long life and good health,'' Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

The prime minister had wished him on his birthday last year as well.

In her brief address at the event in Delhi, Lekhi said the Dalai Lama is someone who talks about India as a great civilisational force and that he adopted the country as his mother.

''Whenever I think of his Holiness, one word just strikes me and that word is compassion,'' she said, describing him as one of the great religious heads in the modern world.

She said the Dalai Lama stands for compassion, forgiveness and love and that these are the qualities that the world needs the most.

''When it comes to India and Buddhism, we all believe in co-existence, respect for each other, respect for religion, and respect for religious diversity are the keywords which are so relevant in today's time and age,'' she added.

''I also think of what he has to speak about India. India is not the country where he was born but definitely India is one country which he loves and respects as his own,'' Lekhi said.

''On his birthday, I must say that on behalf of India, on behalf of Indians, on behalf of all the people who represent humanity from various countries and various parts of the world, we wish him very very best, a long and healthy life,'' she added.

Several Union ministers, including Kiren Rijiju and Nitin Gadkari, and lawmakers also greeted the Dalai Lama, one of the most globally respected spiritual leaders who has been living in exile in India after fleeing China in 1959.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur attended the celebration virtually and wished the Dalai Lama.

Thakur talked about the dedication with which the Dalai Lama is working towards humanity and spirituality. He said the spiritual leader has preserved the historical and cultural heritage of the people of Tibet.

He noted that non-violent efforts of the Dalai Lama to solve the issues of Tibet are an example for the world.

Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the 'prime minister' of the Central Tibetan Administration, lamented that Tibetans living in their homeland are unable to celebrate the Dalai Lama's birthday due to the ''unabated restrictions by the Chinese government''.

Gere, a strong supporter of the Tibetan cause, also addressed the gathering.

''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,'' the actor said, hailing the spiritual leader.

State forest minister Pathania addressed the gathering as a representative of the Himachal Pradesh chief minister.

Dance performances by various communities were organised during the cultural programme. Several awards were also given away in areas like community health care and service on behalf of the CTA.

China has in the past accused the Dalai Lama of indulging in ''separatist'' activities, however, the Tibetan spiritual leader has insisted that he is not seeking independence but ''genuine autonomy for all Tibetans living in the three traditional provinces of Tibet'' under the ''Middle-Way approach''.