Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, departed from Dharamshala to Delhi on Friday as he prepares for knee surgery in the United States. A large crowd of Tibetans gathered at Kangra Airport to send him off with well-wishes. Hundreds of followers lined the streets to pay their respects to the revered leader.
The Dalai Lama will spend the night in Delhi and then travel to Switzerland the following day. He is scheduled to fly to the U.S. on June 23. Leaders of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), including Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Sikyong Penpa Tsering, Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang, Tibetan Justice Commissioner Tenzin Lungtok, DIIR Kalon Norzin Dolma, Election and Public Service Commissioner Wangdu Tsering Pesur, and other senior officials, gathered at his residence to bid him farewell.
Earlier this week, a bipartisan U.S. Congressional delegation led by Congressman Michael McCaul met with the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala. Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, part of the delegation, reaffirmed Congressional support for Tibetans and criticized Chinese President Xi Jinping. The delegation included Representatives Gregory Meeks, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Nicole Malliotakis, Ami Bera, and Jim McGovern.
Recently, the U.S. Congress passed a bill urging Beijing to re-engage with the Dalai Lama and Tibetan leaders to resolve their disputes peacefully. The bill now awaits President Joe Biden's signature to become law.
US Lawmakers Meet Dalai Lama in India, Raising Tensions with China
US Lawmakers Meet Dalai Lama in India, Raising Tensions with China
US Lawmakers Meet Dalai Lama in India, Raising Tensions with China
