(TibetanReview.net, Jul06’24) – As the Dalai Lama recuperates from a successful knee replacement surgery in New York City and assured his followers, devotees and supporters that he remained in good health overall, his 89th birthday was officially marked at the exile Tibetan headquarters in Dharamshala with the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Sikkim as the chief guest.
And it was announced at the gathering that the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday will be marked all year-round next year with the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) also making a long-life prayer offering to him.
“Beginning July 2025, the Kashag will commence a diverse series of year-long events celebrating this milestone as the ‘Year of Compassion’,” said Sikyong (executive head) Mr Penpa Tsering of the CTA in his statement.
Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile invited the Tibetan public too to organize events of varying scales, whether privately or organizationally, during the year to mark the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday.
Others who attended the even have included several special guests. They included Member of Lok Sabha (lower house of Indian parliament) from the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh Mr Tapir Gao; the Speaker of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly Mr Mingma Norbu Sherpa, Deputy Speaker of Canada’s Ontario State Parliament Ms Bhutila Karpoche; Mayor of the Municipality of Oetwil am See in Meilen district in the Swiss canton of Zürich Mr Namgyal Gangshontsang; and ministers and MLAs Mr Bhin Hang Subba, Mr Puran Kumar Gurung, Mr Pintso Namgyal Lepcha, Mr Erung Tenzing Lepcha, and Sanjeet Kharel from Sikkim.
Apart from the Sikyong and the Speaker, those who addressed the gathering included Mr Gangshontsang, the chief guest Mr Prem Singh Tamang, Ms Karpoche, and Mr Gao in that order.
As happens on this annual occasion, six officials of the CTA were felicitated on completing 25 years of service while two others received excellence awards for their distinctive services.