By Jamyang Tsering Namgyal
Leh, Ladakh | 5 July 2025
As the world comes together to celebrate the 90th birth anniversary of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama—rightly commemorated as the “Universal Year of Compassion”—I take this solemn occasion to reaffirm a matter of profound spiritual, cultural, and geopolitical significance: the exclusive authority to recognize the reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama lies solely with the Tibetan people, in accordance with the authentic traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.
His Holiness is not only the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people but a global beacon of peace, wisdom, and compassion. Millions across the world—particularly in India, Nepal, Mongolia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and beyond—revere His Holiness and follow the sacred Nalanda tradition of Buddhism, which embodies centuries of philosophical depth and spiritual resilience.
In light of His Holiness’s recent reaffirmation that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue, and that the Ganden Phodrang Trust of the Dalai Lama alone holds the legitimate authority to recognize any future reincarnation, I extend my full and unequivocal support. This position upholds the unbroken spiritual lineage that began with Gyalwa Gedun Drupa, the First Dalai Lama, over six centuries ago.
The continued interference by the People’s Republic of China in the sacred process of identifying His Holiness’s reincarnation is not only unjustified but outright illegitimate and condemnable. The recognition of a spiritual incarnation is a matter of religious tradition—not state control. A regime that has long curtailed religious freedom in Tibet cannot claim any moral or spiritual legitimacy in such matters.
The 2007 State Religious Affairs Bureau Order No. 5, through which the Chinese Communist Party asserts control over Tibetan reincarnations, is a blatant violation of religious freedom, a direct assault on Tibetan cultural heritage, and an affront to millions of Buddhists worldwide. This politically motivated imposition is spiritually void and fundamentally flawed.
To the global community, I say this:
Only the Tibetan people and the Tibetan Buddhist tradition—guided by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Ganden Phodrang—possess the rightful, moral, and spiritual authority to determine His Holiness’s reincarnation.
Any so-called “Dalai Lama” appointed by the Chinese government will be categorically rejected by the Tibetan people and by the global Buddhist community.
Religious identity and continuity cannot be dictated by authoritarian regimes.
The international community must stand firmly in defense of the Tibetan people’s right to preserve their religious and cultural institutions, free from external coercion. As a devoted Buddhist, a follower of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and a representative of the Himalayan people who share deep civilizational ties with Tibet, I call upon all democratic nations, spiritual leaders, and human rights defenders to denounce this attempted appropriation by the Chinese state and uphold the sanctity of Tibetan spiritual traditions.
Let truth, compassion, and spiritual continuity triumph—not propaganda and political coercion.
The Athiour is National Council Member, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)| Former Member of Parliament, 17th Lok Sabha (Ladakh)| Former Chairman/Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC Leh| Former State President, BJP Ladakh
