Dalai Lama
| Famous as | Spiritual Leader of Tibet |
| Born on | 06 July 1935 |
| Born in | Tibet |
| Works & Achievements | His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibet. Recognized as the "Man Of Peace", Dalai Lama was awarded the Noble Prize in 1989 for adapting peaceful methods to find a solution for the much debated Tibetan issues. |
Childhood
His Holiness the Dalai Lama was born to a
peasant family in Tibet. Originally named ‘Lhamo Thondup’, he was the
fifth amongst the 16 children of the family, who lived in a small
village of Taktser, in the province of Amdo, Tibet. Tsering Dolma,
eighteen years elder than him, was the eldest child of the family.
Tenzin Gyatso was recognized as the reincarnation of the thirteenth
Dalai Lama at the tender age of two.
Education
Tenzin Gyatso started his monastic education
when he was six years old. He was preached by Yongdzin Ling Rinpoche and
Yongdzin Trijang Rinpoche (Junior Tutor). He studied Buddhist
philosophy, Tibetan art and culture, Sanskrit, medicine and logic. At the age of eleven, the young Dalai Lama met Austrian mountaineer
Heinrich Harrer, who taught him about the outside world. He was awarded
the Geshe Lharampa Degree (Doctorate of Buddhist Philosophy) at the age
of 25.
Leadership
After China’s invasion of Tibet, in 1949, His
Holiness the Dalai Lama was called upon to take charge as the Head of
the State and Government. In 1954, he went to Beijing to hold peace
talks with Mao Tse -Tung and other Chinese leaders, including Chou
En-Lai and Deng Xiaoping. Dalai Lama paid a visit to India in 1956, for
the celebration of Buddha Jayanti. During the visit, he met the then
Prime Minister Nehru and held talks with him, regarding the
deteriorating conditions in Tibet.
Exile
Dalai Lama had to seek exile in India in 1959,
when Chinese military repressed the Tibetan national uprising. Since
then, he has been residing at Dharamsala, in the northern part of India.
He also set up the Government of
Tibet in Exile in Dharamsala, which is known as “Little Lhasa”. His
Holiness the Dalai Lama appealed to the United Nations during his exile
in India, seeking justice for Tibet. As a result, the United Nations
General Assembly passed three resolutions on the question of Tibet - in
1959, 1961 and 1965.
In 1963, Dalai Lama promulgated a draft
constitution for Tibet, under the name ‘The Charter of Tibetans in
Exile’, which assures a democratic form of government for Tibet. The
draft constitution was based on the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and comprised of freedom of speech, belief, assembly and
movement. With the aim of preserving the Tibetan identity and its rich
heritage, Dalai Lama has established educational, cultural and religious
institutions in the last two decades.
Five-Point Peace Plan
His Holiness the Dalai Lama continued to take
initiatives and find a solution for the Tibetan issues. In 1987, he
proposed a Five-Point Peace Plan at the Congressional Human Rights
Caucus. This plan required the designation of Tibet as a zone of peace
and called for restoration of fundamental rights and democratic freedoms
to Tibetans. Apart from this, the Peace Plan called for the end of
China’s use of Tibet, for the production of nuclear weapons and the
disposal of nuclear waste. The plan also called for urging "earnest
negotiations" on the future of Tibet and relations between the Tibetan
and Chinese people.
Other Plans
In June 1988, Dalai Lama proposed a plan similar
to the Five-Point Peace Plan, when he was addressing the members of the
European Parliament, in Strasbourg. The Plan aimed at re-establishing
Tibet’s own identity and restoring the fundamental rights of the
Tibetans, while accommodating China’s own interests. He put emphasis on
the fact that Tibetans must be the ultimate deciding authority on who
shall govern them. This plan was, however, rejected by the Tibetan
Government in Exile, in 1991.
In 1992, the Dalai Lama again introduced a set
of policies for the constitution of a free Tibet. He proposed that an
interim government should be set up as soon as Tibet became free. He
further pronounced that a constitutional assembly should be appointed,
to adopt Tibet’s democratic constitution and give it a shape. Dalai Lama
proclaimed that then he would assign all his historical and political
power to the Interim President and would lead the life of a normal
citizen. His efforts to solve Tibet’s problems continue till date.
Recognition
The sincere efforts of His Holiness the Dalai
Lama, to provide independence to the Tibetans, have achieved worldwide
recognition. The 'Man of Peace', as he is fondly called, was awarded the
prestigious Noble Peace Prize in 1989, for his non-violent struggle for
liberation of Tibet. Even in the face of extreme aggression, he
followed a peaceful path and advocated policies of non-violence. His
Holiness the Dalai Lama also became the first Nobel Laureate to be
recognized for his concern for environmental problems pertaining to the
globe. His message of peace, non-violence, inter-religious
understanding, universal responsibility and compassion has fetched him
over 84 awards and a number of honorary doctorates and prizes. He is
also the author of more than 72 books.
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