Dalai Lama at 91: 5 facts that define his life and legacy

By Afiur
July 06, 2026

Birth

The 14th Dalai Lama was born in Taktser (also known as Hongya), a small village in the Amdo region of northeastern Tibet.

Appointment

He was formally enthroned as the 14th Dalai Lama on February 22, 1940, at the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.

Exile

During the 1959 Tibetan uprising, the Dalai Lama escaped to India, where he continues to live and established an independent Tibetan government in exile.

Religious beliefs

His core philosophy centres on universal compassion, nonviolence, and interreligious harmony.

Importance in Buddhism

The Dalai Lama is the highest spiritual leader of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism and a global symbol of peace.

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