Religion - Dalai Lama: Englightened

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Description

An inspiration to many and a messenger of peace, Dalai Lama is the man who has dedicated his entire life towards preserving the rich Tibetan culture. He resides in the foothills of the Himalayas and teaches the importance of love and care for the benefit of all. Born Lhamo Dondrub, he was officially recognized as the 14th Dalai Lama on 17 November 1950 when he was just 15. His Holiness was taken to Lhasas Potala Palace in 1940 where he began his monastic education as well as training. By 1950, when Tibet was under the influence of Chinese military, His Holiness was 16 and was called upon to be the head of state of the Tibetan people. In 1959, during the Tibetan uprising, the Dalai Lama fled to India along with his small escort and resided in Dharamshala later on. He met with the then Prime Minister of India, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, who agreed to provide shelter to the Tibetan refugees. According to official records, only about 60 Gyatso monks had fled along with Dalai Lama to India. Today, the monastic community of India is known to have grown to a population of about 500 monks.