'China won't have a say'; Dalai Lama confirms he will have successor after his death; celebrations begin

NEW DELHI: End to uncertainties. Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has announced that he will have a successor after his death. He said that the Gaden Phodrang Trust will find a successor from an independent country and that China won't have a say in it. "There may be some differences in the traditional way of choosing a successor. The new lama will be an older person. It does not have to be a man," Dalai Lama said.

The Dalai Lama's statement came after the Chinese government said that they would choose a successor and that no one other than the trustees had the authority to intervene. The Dalai Lama has stated that the Tibetan people, not just him, will decide on the continuation of the Dalai Lama's tradition. He has indicated that he will consult with high lamas and the Tibetan public when he turns 90 to evaluate whether the institution should continue. The Chinese government had said that the successor would be chosen by drawing lots from a golden urn. The Tibetan Parliament in Exile, the Central Tibetan Administration, voluntary organizations in the Himalayan region, Buddhist communities in Asian countries including the Buddhist Republic of the Russian Federation and China have called for the continuation of the Dalai Lama tradition.

Meanwhile, the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday celebrations began yesterday. More than 100 monks are participating in the celebrations at his headquarters in McLeodganj, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh. His birthday falls on the 6th.

From Taktser to Dharamsala

• Tenzin Gyatso, a native of Taktser in northern Tibet, was enthroned as the 14th Dalai Lama in 1940 at the Potala Palace in Lhasa
• This was in the presence of representatives from Britain and China
• After China took over Tibet, he fled to India with his followers in 1959. In 1960, an administrative system called the Central Tibetan Administration was established in Dharamsala
• He stepped down from administrative duties in 2011. The current government is the Kashag cabinet. Kalon Tripa is the leader
• The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989

Gadeen Phodrang Trust

A charitable organisation established by the Dalai Lama in 2011 for religious, cultural and humanitarian work. It operates from the Dalai Lama's headquarters in Dharamsala. The system includes senior monks and close aides of the Dalai Lama.