Tibetan govt-in-exile celebrates 86th anniversary of Dalai Lama's enthronement

Dharamsala (HP): The Central Tibetan Administration has commemorated the 86th anniversary of the enthronement of the 14th Dalai Lama with an official ceremony at McLeodganj, the headquarters of the de facto government-in-exile of Tibet, officials said on Monday.

On February 22, 1940, four-year-old Tenzin Gyatso was enthroned on the Golden Throne at the Potala Palace in Tibet, following his recognition as the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama.

The commemorative ceremony on Sunday was held at the Thekchen Choeling Tsuglakhang, the main Tibetan monastery at McLeodganj in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi attended the event as the chief guest, a release issued by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) said.

The event began with the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts leading the Tibetan national anthem as the Tibetan national flag was ceremonially hoisted in the monastery courtyard, with Satyarthi hoisting the tricolour.

Satyarthi described the 86-year journey of the Dalai Lama as one that “moved from darkness toward light”.

Reflecting on the 1940 ceremony, he said that while a child ascended the Golden Throne, it was his wisdom and spiritual strength that gave it true meaning.

Satyarthi also emphasised that the recognition of a future Dalai Lama rested solely within the established Tibetan Buddhist traditions and cannot be determined by any political authority.

Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the president of the CTA, underscored the global relevance of the Dalai Lama's enduring message of compassion, nonviolence and universal responsibility.

The release described the 1940 enthronement as a defining moment not only for Tibet, but for the wider world, crediting the Dalai Lama's leadership with preserving Tibetan culture and promoting interfaith harmony and environmental consciousness.

Representatives of different faiths and communities addressed the gathering and expressed admiration for the Dalai Lama's lifelong dedication to peace and dialogue, the statement said.