Dharamshala — On behalf of the Tibetan people, the Central Tibetan Administration celebrates the 90th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama with a number of events, expressing its gratitude to His Holiness for guiding and supporting Tibetans through the most critical situation in Tibetan history and celebrating his 90th birthday with joy and pride.
The Central Tibetan Administration, on behalf of the Tibetan people in Tibet and exile celebrates the 90th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, at the Thekchen Choeling Tsuglakhang, the Tibetan Main Temple, Dharamshala, HP, India, on July 6, 2025. The chief guests were Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Minister of Panchayati Raj and Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India and Shri Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs of India, the Special Guests were Tashi Gyalson, Chief Executive Councillor (CEC), Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council and Richard Gere, President of International Campaign for Tibet, the Guest of Honor were Shri Pema Khandu, Chief Minister, Arunachal Pradesh, as well as representatives of countries including India, Taiwan, Mongolia and USA. Leading lamas and khenpos from different sects of Tibetan Buddhism, thousands of people, including Tibetans and Buddhists from the Himalayas, top leaders Central Tibetan Administration attended the event to celebrate His Holiness' 90th birthday, and more than 200 international and Tibetan journalists were on hand to capture this special and memorable day.
When His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama arrived in the courtyard of the main Tibetan temple, thousands of people gathered to celebrate His Holiness's birthday and joyfully welcomed His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the celebration.
Sikyong Penpa Tsering read out the statement of the Kashag on the 90th Birthday of His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama, he said, “Today, on this auspicious occasion of the 90th birthday celebration of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the crown jewel of both spiritual and temporal realms and the champion of world peace, the Kashag, representing all Tibetans in exile, respectfully offers our deep obeisance and extends heartfelt greetings and felicitations to His Holiness. We also warmly welcome all the distinguished guests who have travelled from near and far to participate in this celebration, as well as everyone around the world who is joining us in celebrating this momentous occasion.”
“On 2nd July 2025, His Holiness the Dalai Lama magnanimously announced the continuation of the institution of the Dalai Lama in accordance with the fervent aspirations of the people of Tibet and devoted followers worldwide. This announcement represents an unequivocal assurance for the continuity of religious, cultural, linguistic, and national identity of Tibet and the Tibetan people. On behalf of all the Tibetan people, both in Tibet and in exile, and Tibetan supporters around the world, we express our boundless gratitude to Your Holiness for this immeasurable blessing,” Sikyong added.
Sikyong said, "His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been universally recognised as the foremost global leader who has dedicated his entire life to practicing and teaching the compassion shastra. The Kashag, in its four recent official programmes, has briefly highlighted the contributions made by His Holiness the Dalai Lama through his four principal commitments in promoting human values, fostering religious harmony, preserving Tibet’s religion and culture along with environmental protection, and reviving ancient Indian wisdom. And we hope that these noble methods for achieving world peace and happiness, will serve as practical guidance for everyone."
“On this special occasion today, while the Chinese government continues to forcibly prohibit our Tibetan brethren in Tibet from engaging in even the basic religious activities, such as incense offering and hoisting prayer flags in honour of their root guru’s birthday, the sacred bond between teacher and disciple that is sanctified within each bead of Tibetan prayer rosary and each syllable of the six-syllable mantra (Om Mani Padme Hum) cannot be suppressed by tyrannical power. May the day when we Tibetans in Tibet and in exile could freely and jointly celebrate His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday soon arise,” Sikyong prayed.
Then His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama addressed the gathering and said, "Today, my dear friends, you are celebrating my 90th birthday. You have gathered here with joy in your hearts. I am a human being and it is natural for human beings to be affectionate and to help one another. Those of us who come from Buddhist countries have a strong sense of brotherhood and sisterhood.”
"You are attending this celebration happily, with joy in your hearts. Your joy inspires me because I cultivate awakening mind of bodhichitta. As a consequence of this, many people treat me with respect. If I was selfish and self-centred that wouldn’t be the case," His Holiness said.
"I am 90 years old today. In addition to bodhichitta, I have also worked to cultivate concentration (shamatha) and special insight (vipashyana) as well as I could. I feel I have not wasted my life, and although I have the title of Dalai Lama, I’m not proud of myself. As a follower of the Buddha, a bhikshu or monk, serving other people and serving the teaching, these are my main practices," His Holiness declared.
khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) read out the statement of the TPiE on the 90th Birthday of His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama and he said, “the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile wishes to offer prayers infinite times that His Holiness the Dalai Lama may live for a hundred aeons; that by means of the flourishing of his accomplishments in promoting peace and compassion across the world; and, in particular, by continuing to remain the patron deity of the entirety of the Tibetan subjects out of a feeling of great care and compassion for them, the sunshine of the day of happiness when the Tibetan people living in Tibet and those scattered in exile reunite be realized in all speediness, so that he may be able to set foot on the Snowland of Tibet once again.”
American famous actor and Tibet supporter Richard Gere said, "I know His Holiness famously doesn’t really care that much about birthdays, but we care about birthdays—especially this birthday. From His Holiness’ point of view, every moment is the birthday, every breath is the birthday, every heartbeat is the birthday. That’s what he’s taught us, and that’s what we should be living—with his openness, love, and compassion for all beings. His Holiness the Dalai Lama doesn’t belong to Tibet anymore — His Holiness belongs to the world, and he belongs to the universe."
The Special Guest Tashi Gyalson, Chief Executive Councillor (CEC), Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council addressed the gathering on behalf of the people of Ladakh, he wished His Holiness the Dalai Lama a happy birthday and said: "His Holiness's life of teaching has been a beacon of compassion, wisdom and hope for all humanity, especially for us in Ladakh. On this very special day, I would like to express our deep gratitude for your unwavering support, guidance and blessings over the years."
He also stated that the people of Ladakh fully endorse His Holiness’s recent statement on the sacred tradition of reincarnation and hold deep reverence for His wisdom and discretion in this matter. He also formally welcomed His Holiness to Ladakh, assuring a comfortable stay, and expressed joy at the prospect of once again being in His Holiness’s blessed presence. He added that LAHDC Leh has dedicated the month of July as the Month of Compassion to mark the 90th birthday, with charitable and social initiatives being conducted across the district.
Venerable Sonam Lama, the Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs of the Government of Sikkim, representating the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Sikkim addressed the gathering and said, "the relationship between the Dalai Lama and Sikkim dates back 500 years. I express my faith that this relationship will continue into the future. Because of His Holiness’ blessings, Buddhism has survived and is flourishing in Sikkim, and we have numerous monasteries."
Shri Pema Khandu, Honorable Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh said while addressing the gathering, "His Holiness’ life and teachings have profoundly shaped not only the Tibetan world but have transcended borders and touched millions of hearts across the globe. He is a true apostle of peace, advocating tirelessly for non-violence, interfaith harmony, and universal responsibility. In the world of increasingly moulded by division and discord, His Holiness’ voice remains a beacon of wisdom, clarity, and compassion."
"We, the people of Arunachal Pradesh, share a unique and sacred bond with His Holiness and the institution of the Dalai Lama. Our traditions and ties go back centuries to the time of the great 5th Dalai Lama, under whose patronage, the historic Tawang monastery was established. We take great pride in the fact that the 6th Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, was born in Tawang, a reflection of our deep spiritual connection," the Chief Minister said.
“We welcome the joyous and unwavering support to the recent reaffirmation by His Holiness on the continuation of the institution of Dalai Lama. The historic declaration has brought clarity and comfort to the millions and millions of people, especially the Himalayan Buddhist communities and reaffirms our collective commitment to uphold the traditional Tibetan Buddhism process for the recognition of his reincarnation in line with the guidance of Gaden Phodrang trust. This decision is not just a spiritual, it is civilizational. It reinforces the value of religious freedom, cultural autonomy, and the sacred responsibility to preserve the Spiritual heritage for future generations,” he concluded.
Shri Union Minister Kiren Rijiju addressed the gathering and said," Today, with deep reverence and bondless joy, I join millions around the world in wishing His Holiness the Dalai Lama, most happy and joyful 90th birthday, this is celebration of remarkable life dedicated to compassion, wisdom and no non-violence. You are more than spiritual leader, you are living bridge between ancient wisdom and modern world, for over seven decades, you have carried the light of Buddha's teachings with humanity and clarity, guiding not only followers of Tibetan Buddhism, but people of all faith, backgrounds towards more compassionate and ethic way of life. In a world strive with conflict, your message embodied how you continued lead your life as you even greater and more urgent significance. It is a matter of pride and honour for India and Indians to have you in our midst."
"As a devotee myself, and on behalf of all the millions of devotees across the world, I want to emphatically state that whatever decision, taken by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the established conventions and traditions, we will fully abide by it and we will follow the directions and guidelines issued from the institution of the Dalai Lama," the Union Minister said.
Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, addressed the gathering and wished very a happy birthday and His Holiness a long life and continued success in spreading his message of peace and compassion across the world—guiding humanity toward a more harmonious and hopeful future. He said, "the upcoming Dalai Lama Centre for Tibetan and Indian Ancient Wisdom in Bodhgaya is being founded as a multidisciplinary institute inspired by the Nalanda Tradition. We will get to witness its progress as it unfolds."
Video messages from three former Presidents of the United States—42nd President Bill Clinton, 43rd President George W. Bush, and 44th President Barack Obama were screened before the gathering. In addition, written messages from the Hon’ble President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, and Hon’ble Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were read to the audiences.
Then renowned Chinese artist offered an art piece to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Then Biography of His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama in English launched.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama then cut the birthday cake, took a bite and people sang happy birthday songs. Artists from 20 countries performed songs in Tibetan, Hindi, Chinese, English and other languages, and danced to celebrate the 90th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
