'Wish him long, healthy life': PM Modi greets Dalai Lama on his 86th birthday | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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'Wish him long, healthy life': PM Modi greets Dalai Lama on his 86th birthday

By, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Jul 06, 2021 01:16 PM IST

In a virtual address from his residence in Dharamshala, the Dalai Lama thanked people from across the globe who greeted him on his birthday and said he would continue to serve humanity and combat climate change.

In a development with political and diplomatic ramifications, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the 14th Dalai Lama over phone and greeted him on his 86th birthday on Tuesday. He wished him long and healthy life.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama.


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According to source in Dharamshala, the Prime Minister spoke to the 14th Dalai Lama for nearly 20 minutes this morning and His Holiness, who is right now in Dharamshala, was delighted to receive the call.

On his birthday, the Tibetan spiritual leader said that he has taken full advantage of India's freedom and religious harmony and is committed to reviving ancient Indian knowledge.

In a virtual address from his residence in Dharamshala, the Dalai Lama thanked people from across the globe who greeted him on his birthday and said he would continue to serve humanity and combat climate change.

“Since I became a refugee and settled in India, I have taken full advantage of India's freedom and religious harmony. I want to assure you that for the rest of my life I am committed to reviving ancient Indian knowledge,” said the Dalai Lama, whose real name is Tenzin Gyatso.

“I really appreciate the Indian concept of secular values, not dependent on religion, such as honesty, karuna (compassion) and ahimsa (non-violence),” he added.

In exile now for 62 years, the 14th Dalai Lama has been a symbol of struggle for the Tibetan people to the entire world. Perhaps his only desire is to go on a pilgrimage to China to visit the Wutai Shan, the sacred five peak mountain in Shamxi province which is the earthly abode of the Bodhisatva Manjusri.

In an interview with Hindustan Times at Bodh Gaya in 2018, he said: "Way back in 1954, I had expressed my desire to Chinese government to visit Wutai Shan but was told that there was no road. I still have that desire but it is upto the Chinese government. Historically, the Wutai Shan is seat of Deva of wisdom. Whether I am there or not, that wisdom of the Deva is already in my brain.”

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Author of Indian Mujahideen: The Enemy Within (2011, Hachette) and Himalayan Face-off: Chinese Assertion and Indian Riposte (2014, Hachette). Awarded K Subrahmanyam Prize for Strategic Studies in 2015 by Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) and the 2011 Ben Gurion Prize by Israel.

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