Leh — 91st birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama celebrated at the Shewatsel Teaching Ground in Leh, Ladakh, India on July 6, 2026. Which is organised by the Ladakh Buddhist Association, the All Ladakh Gonpa Association and the Central Tibetan Administration. Thousands of people from all over the world—believers of various faiths, people of diverse ethnic backgrounds, and many others joyfully celebrated his 91st birthday.
Upon the arrival of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Shewatsel teaching site in Leh, Ladakh, students from TCV Ladakh, along with Tibetan and Ladakhi artists, performed welcome dances. Once he was settled in, His Holiness was presented with a birthday cake made with Tibetan cheese; he ate a slice, and those present wished him a very happy birthday.
Next, Chering Dorjay Lakrook, President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), delivered a speech at the gathering, followed by Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration and Dolma Tsering, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE).
Chering Dorjay addressed the gathering, "I prostrate to the Buddha Gautama who, moved by compassion, gave us the teachings to rid us of all wrong views. I greet His Holiness, whose name is Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshé Tenzin Gyatso. Today, everyone in the audience has gathered to celebrate His Holiness’s 91st birthday. On this occasion, on behalf of the LBA, and Tibetans living in Ladakh, I greet His Holiness the Dalai Lama and wish him a ‘Happy Birthday’. It is our good fortune to have him here among us. I pray that he lives a long and healthy life and that all his wishes may be fulfilled."
Sikyong said, "Today, as humanity continues to witness one man-made conflict after another, alongside an increasing number of natural disasters and humanitarian crises, the most effective antidote lies in cultivating the seeds of compassion within the human heart and nurturing ethical values in everyday life. In a world confronted by division, violence, and suffering, the timeless message of compassion championed by His Holiness is more relevant and necessary than ever before. Therefore, the Year of Compassion should not be regarded merely as a one-year campaign that concludes after twelve months. Rather, it should serve as the beginning of a lifelong commitment to fostering compassion, kindness, and ethical conduct. Starting within our own families and extending to our communities and society at large, each of us should strive to practice these values every day, every month, every year, and throughout the course of our lives."
Speaker of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile said, "On behalf of all Tibetans in Tibet and in exile, the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile wishes to express immense joy, devotion, and delight in offering heartfelt and sincere greetings and felicitations to His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama, on the auspicious day of his attaining 91 years of age."
"On the day after the government of China began implementing on 1 July 2026 its so-called Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, a patriotic Tibetan hero named Lobsang Palden, also known as Rangzen Loga, a resident of New York City, took a Tibetan national flag on the square in front of the United Nations Headquarters and planted it on a crossroad there. He also distributed placards with slogans such as “China Out of Tibet” written on them. He then set himself on fire in protest against the variety of policies being implemented by the Chinese government directed at the destruction of Tibet as we knew it," the statement of TPiE said.
Then His Holiness the Dalai Lama addressed the gathering and said,“Today, here in Ladakh, people have unwavering faith, devotion and strong spiritual bonds. Many people from around the world have also gathered here. You have been praying that I will live long, and from my side I pray:
Wherever the Buddha's teaching has not spread,
And wherever it has spread but has declined,
May I, moved by great compassion, clearly elucidate,
This treasury of excellent benefit and happiness for all.
"There are people in the world who have no spiritual belief. When I went to China in 1954-55, Mao Zedong told me that religion was like opium. However, practice of the Dharma is not just about propitiating deities and saying prayers. It’s actually about transforming your mind and turning your mind towards the practice of virtue. The significance of the practice of Dharma is to have a calm mind, to train the mind," he added.
His Holiness said,“As soon as I wake up, I reflect on bodhichitta, the altruistic awakening mind, as well as the insight into emptiness. Wherever I go, I have a warm heart and I encourage others to cultivate it too. I try to spread warm-heartedness among other people. ‘May I, moved by compassion, illuminate this treasure linked to happiness, well-being and benefit."
"I am 91, but according to indications in my dreams it seems I may yet live to be 130. So, I hope to be able to help Chinese people through the teaching of the Buddha and also to help people around the world to lead good, positive lives. This is what I aspire to do — thank you," His Holiness concluded.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, U.S. Under Secretary of State and Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Riley Barnes, as well as the Chief Ministers of several Indian states—notably Pema Khandu (Arunachal), Prem Singh Tamang (Sikkim), Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal), Yumnam Khemchand Singh (Manipur), and Mohan Charan Majhi (Odisha)—alongside central government ministers and parliamentarians, extended their warm birthday wishes to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama on the occasion of his 91st birthday.
