Dharamsala : Even though the Tibetan government in exile is yet to be recognised by any state in the world the Tibetan parliament today thanked its spiritual leader for democratising Tibetan refugees on his 76 th birthday today.
“The Kashag(cabinet) gratefully thanks and remembers the steps the Dalai lama has taken to domocratise the Tibetan polity and devolving all his powers to the elected Tibetan leadership which will represent 6 million Tibetans the world over,†a statement issued by the Tibetan parliament said here.
Tibetans gathered in large numbers here to celebrate the Noble peace prize winner’s birthday who is currently away in Washington.
Special prayers were held throughout the day by Tibetan monks and a few foreigners as well.
Born in 1935, at Taktser village in north eastern Tibet, the Dalai Lama was recognised at the tender age of two as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama Thubten Gyatso.
He fled Tibet after a failed uprising against the Chinese rule in 1959.Ever since he has been living with his followers in Dharamsala.Over 100,000 Tibetans live across India.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his non-violent campaign for democracy and freedom in Tibet.Now though he is for the middle path and would be happy with Tibet as an autonomous region of rising China.
In a 20 year career published widely. He has worked for the BBC, AFP, The Statesman, IANS and the Business Standard . Known for his hard hitting writing and occasional off-beat stories. He lives in Shimla.
