Dharamshala — The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and alumni from seven residential CST schools in India, Tibetan Children's Village Dharamsala, Tibetan Homes Foundation Mussoorie, and Tibetan Day Schools in India and Nepal organised an event to mark the 75th anniversary of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s assumption of spiritual and temporal leadership of Tibet and for establishment of schools that have provided generations of young Tibetans in exile with a blend of traditional Tibetan education and modern education.
The Central Tibetan Administration organised an event to celebrate the 75th anniversary of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s assumption of spiritual and temporal leadership of Tibet and offered its heartfelt gratitude to His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.
More than 500 alumni from seven residential CST schools in India, Tibetan Children's Village Dharamsala, Tibetan Homes Foundation Mussoorie, and Tibetan Day Schools in India and Nepal also held an event to express their deep gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, for establishing schools that have provided generations of young Tibetans in exile with a blend of traditional Tibetan education and modern education. Both events took place simultaneously in the courtyard of the main Tibetan temple in Dharamsala, HP, India, on November 17, 2025.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama attend the the gratitude event. The chief guest of the event was Dr Eliska Zigova, the Czech Ambassador to India. Other guests including Yashbir Singh, IFS, Liaison Officer of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, as well as ormer Liaison Officers and DSPs who had served His Holiness in Dharamshala. Top leaders of CTA and staff members, representatives of Tibetan NGOs, students and general people gathered in the courtyard to celebrate the event.
After His Holiness sat on the chair, Tibetan Chief Justice Commissioner Yeshi Wangmo, Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, and Sikyong Penpa Tsering offered a Mandala and the auspicious representations of the Buddha’s body, speech, and mind to commence the event. This was followed by a Mandala offering by former Tibetan Parliamentarian Tashi Namgyal, President of the Gratitude Event Organising Committee, on behalf of the alumni of Tibetan schools.
Former Tibetan Parliamentarian Tashi Namgyal, Tibetan Children Village (TCV) President Sonam Sichoe, and THF General Secretary Migmar Tsering jointly presented mementoes in gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, followed by a presentation of a gratitude song dedicated to him for his compassionate and farsighted leadership.
Sikyong read out the statement of Kashag on the 75th Year of His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama’s Assumption of Spiritual and Temporal Leadership of the Great Nation of Tibet and he said," In the early 20th century, Tibet fell into a weakened state when the Muslim warlord Ma Bufang invaded Amdo, the Manchu general Zhao Erfeng invaded Kham, and the British invaded Central Tibet. After the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) seized power in 1911, they progressively annexed numerous regions in Amdo and Kham and engaged in repeated armed border confrontations with the Tibetan government."
"In 1949, after the establishment of the communist government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), many areas of the Amdo and Kham regions were forcibly occupied. In October 1950, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) captured Chamdo through a three-pronged attack, defeating the Tibetan army and rendering Tibet incapable of mounting an armed defence. With the indifference of the international community and both the people and land of Tibet at the brink of destruction, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, at just 15 years of age, assumed spiritual and temporal leadership of Tibet," Sikyong continued.
"With unparalleled courage, His Holiness the Dalai Lama worked tirelessly for over eight years to negotiate with the PRC within the framework of the coerced Seventeen-Point Agreement, striving to protect Tibetan lives from the armed threat of the PLA and to preserve Tibet’s unique religious and cultural heritage. However, with the complete disregard and continued violation of the said agreement by the PRC’s government, His Holiness was compelled to go into exile," he added.
Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel read out the statement of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile and he said," The government of China has been implementing both soft and harsh policies aimed at undermining the religion, culture, language, ethnicity, and ecological environment of Tibet. However, thanks to the tireless efforts made in exile, especially through the compassionate activities of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s religion, culture, language, and heritage have been successfully revived. Millions of people around the world have benefitted from His Holiness’s efforts to raise awareness of Tibet’s spiritual and cultural traditions, his promotion of dialogue between Buddhism and science, and his emphasis on the importance of recognizing the oneness of humanity. In particular, his teachings on cultivating compassion as a means to develop inner peace and mutual trust have touched countless lives. His turning of the Wheel of Dharma for followers of Buddhism continues uninterrupted to this day. Alongside the conferment of 34 Great Kalachakra empowerments across the world, the political activities and religious works carried out by His Holiness the Dalai Lama have been truly remarkable."
"His Holiness has undertaken countless weighty efforts toward resolving the just cause of Tibet and we reiterate our call on the leaders of the government of China to make sincere efforts to resolve the Sino-Tibetan conflict during the lifetime of His Holiness the Dalai Lama," the Speaker said.
The alumi said, "In exile, His Holiness the Dalai Lama prioritized education for young Tibetan refugees, leading to the establishment of schools in India and Nepal with assistance from the Government of India. These schools have achieved universal education and negligible illiteracy among Tibetans in exile. The graduates of these schools are now contributing to the Tibetan community and the world at large."
"Each and every one of us Tibetans in exile owe an immense debt of gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for his selfless service and leadership," said the alumni. The gratitude offering is a spiritual gesture of their indebtedness, dedicated to fulfilling His Holiness' noble aspirations.
The alumni also acknowledged India's significant support to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people since 1959 and presented a plaque to the people and Government of India as a token of their sincere appreciation for India's unwavering support.
