Dalai Lama may decide on a spiritual successor’s 90th birthday in July: Central Tibetan government leader Penpa Tsering
Preparations for the celebration of the Dalai Lama’s birthday are underway, penpa tsering, Sikkim (elected leader) of the Central Tibetan Government (CTA) told Hindu. The Dalai Lama’s possible announcement of all eyes about his reincarnation or successor. In a statement in September 2011, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, handed over his political authority to the CTA, who had said that after consulting other Tibetan Buddhist leaders and the Tibetan public, he would make a decision on his spiritual successor when his spiritual successor was “around 90”.
The next step for the Dalai Lama will be closely watched by Beijing, which has introduced a law that requires any successor to be approved by the Chinese government.
Mr Tsering said the celebrations will begin for one year on July 6, 2025, following a religious meeting at all Tibetan Buddhist schools held in Dharamshala from July 2 to April 4, when the Dalai Lama was expected to consult them on rebirth.
This is an important year for the Dalai Lama when he turns 90. Will he reveal his plan for reincarnation? How will this process develop?
We intend to celebrate the whole year as a year of sympathy from July 6, 2025 to 2026. According to the Tibetan calendar, his birthday is June 30, and there will be a special prayer that day. From July 2 to 4, we will meet all religious directors of all Buddhist traditions – Nyingma, Sakya, Gelug… – All leaders will be there except Karmapa Lama (the head of Karma Kagyu Sect). His holiness is likely [Dalai Lama] Will be speaking at the meeting, I’m not sure if he will make a statement about reincarnation…but his statement in 2011 is the only statement we have to accept, that at the age of 90, he will consult other senior lamas and make a decision. The Dalai Lama assured us that he will live for at least 113 years.
How do you view China’s reaction to such a statement – will confrontation occur?
There is no doubt that the biggest concern of the Chinese government is to find the 15th Dalai Lama in Tibet after the 14th Dalai Lama. [passes]just as he is still alive, the Chinese government can do nothing. The Tibetan government (Dharamshala-based CTA) is working to prepare a rule book on what we should do and what procedures we should follow. Beijing will search for reincarnation in Tibet or China… They found Pan Qin Lama. But he was not recognized by the Tibetans, and the Dalai Lama’s successor must be accepted by the people.
What are your hopes for the Tibetan community where the Indian government settles here?
The Indian government is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention, so these are administrative rulings, and I would like to say that every Indian government starting with Pandit Nehru is very friendly to the Tibetan community. Politically, we will thank the government for its more voice, but India must first focus on its national interests. Tibet’s interest always exists, which is why we see the Indian government as our savior – if it weren’t for India, we wouldn’t exist. I always say that if the next Dalai Lama reincarnates in India, then he will be an Indian citizen, so the government must consider what this will mean too!
Given the geopolitical situation, the international community has not successfully stopped major conflicts, such as the Russian war in Ukraine or the Israeli bombing of Gaza, do you think Tibetans will receive international support?
In a sense, there is an international law, so if Russia violates Ukraine’s sovereignty, etc., it’s like everything that happened in Tibet in 1950 [China’s annexation]. If we have to resolve the problem in western China through peaceful means, there is nothing else to do. This resolution is not possible until the Chinese government can respond to the solution. At present, the Dalai Lama has not even sought independence along the middle road. However, the fixed position adopted by the Chinese government is to eliminate Tibetan identities in a sensitized form, and to start colonial boarding schools, ignoring the Tibetan language and demanding research on the ideology of the Communist Party of China, making it difficult. We do have reverse channel conversation [with Beijing] But there are no consequences at the moment. Even if we are in touch, we are not confident in the results.
Can the relationship between India and China make them different at present?
Let’s see how the conversation forms. But even at the beginning of the negotiations, we have heard about the construction of the Brahmaputra Dam in Tibet in December 2024, which could have serious consequences for India. The Chinese government said it was for electricity production only and would not reduce water flow, but there are questions about China’s plans to turn water to a colder Tibet region. The Tibetan Plateau is a highly earthquake-like area where you can see recent earthquakes in Mongolia, Myanmar and other areas around. What will happen if the dam is damaged and what impact will be in Arunachal Pradesh, then there may be human disaster in Bangladesh, which is flowing toward Zangpo.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi did invite the earlier Sikyong to take the oath of office at the 2014 ceremony, but did not repeat the invitation in 2019 or 2024. In 2018, an official order stated that no government officials were allowed to participate in political activities in the Tibetan community. Are you worried about this?
not at all. On all issues, we stay in touch and get the will of the Indian government. As we look forward to the celebration of the Dalai Lama’s birthday, we hope to have representatives from the Indian government at the event.
You mentioned that Karmapa Lama will not participate. He has not returned to India since 2017 and has occupied Dominican citizenship and settled in the United States, what is this his visit?
Well, there are many questions about the record that will be from India to India and whether he can travel freely in India. There was a discussion between Karmapa Lama and the government and the CTA would be happy to help in any way. But I received a message that he will not be able to attend this year’s celebration.
Have cuts and cuts affected Tibetan community projects by the U.S. Agency for International Development and Donald Trump administrations?
The overall cuts in U.S. foreign aid are not only for Tibetans, but around the world, and we hope to review these aids. I plan to travel to the United States at the end of this month and we will work to restore aid and grants from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who wrote to me on March 10, on Tibetan Uprising Day and reaffirmed the U.S. position in Tibet, support for rights, language rights, etc., and he also personally advocated the Senate. Even during the first time President Trump (2017-2021), Tibet initially had no budget. But in 2019, the United States passed the Tibet Support Policy Act, which stated that the United States would support inheritance or reincarnation decided by the Tibetan Buddhist community, and the U.S. government also appointed special envoys on Tibetan affairs.
publishing – April 28, 2025, 2:08 am
