Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama arrived in Delhi on Friday after a gap of over three years. Dalai Lama landed in the national capital after a month-long sojourn in Ladakh. It is not yet confirmed whether he will hold any meeting with the political leadership.

“His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is departing from Leh on August 26, 2022, by air to Delhi after his month-long sojourn in Ladakh. The motorcycle of his holiness is expected to leave Photang Gapheling, Jevetsal at 7:30 AM for KBR airport, Leh,” Ladakh Buddhist Association said in a statement.

Earlier on Tuesday, Dalai Lama said Tibetans are seeking genuine autonomy rather than complete independence. He also exuded confidence that the time will come soon when Ladakhis would be able to visit Lhasa again.

“Times are changing, and that a time would come when Ladakhis would be able to visit Lhasa again,” the Tibetan spiritual leader said while addressing the audience as he inaugurated a new centre of learning at Thupstanling Gonpa, Diskit Tsal in Leh.

While addressing the meeting, Dalai Lama said before he retired from political responsibility, Tibetans adopted the middle-way approach for a mutually acceptable solution to the issue of Tibet.

“This means that we are seeking genuine autonomy rather than complete independence, primarily concerned with preserving our identity, language and rich Buddhist cultural heritage in all Tibetan speaking areas,” he added.

Amid the Dalai Lama’s visit, China will be keeping a close eye on the leader. Beijing views the globally revered Tibetan spiritual leader as a separatist, who they claim is working to split Tibet.

The Dalai Lama, one of the most admired spiritual leaders, is an icon who advocates democracy and freedom not only for his country but also for the world.

The Dalai Lama relinquished his role as the spiritual leader of more than 7 million Tibetan Buddhists because of the Chinese aggression and has lived in exile for 60 years.

Speaking on the 87th birthday of the spiritual leader, Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka’s Ven Prof Lenagala Sirinivasa said that the Dalai Lama is a role model to everyone who wants to see a positive difference in the world.

Daily Mirror quoted Sirinivasa as saying that Dalai Lama has inimitable characteristics of a divine presence on earth such as not losing composure, a sense of humour, altruistic tendencies, simple childlike nature and relentless hard work to achieve global and national commitments.

His achievements over his exile would need many pages to record, he added.

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