Dalai Lama BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.
The Dalai Lama has turned 90 this year and even as age prompts questions about his succession, his influence remains a major global presence. According to Tibet TV and multiple Tibetan diaspora media, this milestone year has inspired widespread tributes and special events, including Martin Scorsese introducing a 35mm screening of his film Kundun at the Tribeca Festival in honor of His Holiness's birthday. Professor Robert Thurman paid tribute to the Dalai Lama in the UK Parliament, spotlighting the continuing respect and awareness his message draws from international leaders and academics.
There’s renewed attention on Tibetan succession politics. The National Endowment for Democracy awarded the 2025 Democracy Service Medal to the 11th Panchen Lama, who was recognized by the Dalai Lama as the second-highest lama in Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lama himself sent a letter recognizing this honor. The event, as reported by the National Endowment for Democracy, underscores the stakes surrounding China’s interference in Tibetan religious affairs, as the Panchen Lama’s fate remains unresolved 30 years after his abduction. The ongoing battle over who will recognize and enthrone the next Dalai Lama is highlighted again, with coverage from the European Times and IANS emphasizing India’s central role as guardian of Tibetan spiritual sovereignty while China seeks to dictate the process. Notably, a current in-depth report argues that a Dalai Lama born and nurtured in India would embody both Tibetan tradition and the moral legacy of figures like Gandhi, making India the new crucible of global Buddhist conscience.
On the community side, commemorations and cultural gatherings have proliferated, from sand mandala installations in New York to ongoing long life prayers for the Dalai Lama every Sunday all summer, reported by regional Tibetan associations. Meanwhile, Arunachal Pradesh in India will soon host the 6th Dalai Lama global conference, a landmark event hailed by its state leadership as a new chapter in international Buddhist cultural recognition. The Dalai Lama also continues teaching, with an upcoming local session scheduled for November 17 at the Tushita Meditation Centre, eagerly anticipated by spiritual practitioners.
Social media has been peppered with event announcements, conference news, and birthday celebrations, reflecting the Dalai Lama’s enduring status as a linchpin of Tibetan identity and a touchstone for international human rights and spiritual discourse. Although he appears less in spontaneous public outings, each planned appearance and letter is met with global resonance, making his presence—both in person and symbol—impossible to ignore.
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