Dalai Lama to mark 81st birthday at Dharamsala today

The Tibetans in-exile will celebrate the 81st birthday of their spiritual head the 14th Dalai Lama today.

This year the Dalai Lama will attend the birthday celebrations at Tibetan settlement in Mundgod.

However, the celebrations will be held at different places including the exile head quarters at Dharamsala here.

Spokesperson of Tibetan government in-exile, Tashi Phungstok said, "There will be few prize distributions and book release. There will also be dances by different schools. The celebration will be attended by the Sikyong, who is the leader of the Central Tibetan Administration Sikyong and speaker of Tibetan parliament in-exile."

Expressing happiness, Lhakpa Tsering, a retired Tibetan official said Dalai Lama's 81st birthday is being celebrated at Tibetan settlement called Mundgod and that is also one of the biggest settlements.

Born on July 6, 1935 in Taktser, China, the 14th Dalai Lama, is one of the longest serving Dalai Lama's of the Tibetan tradition of Buddhism.

Dalai Lamas are important monks of the Gelug school, the newest school of Tibetan Buddhism which is nominally headed by the Ganden Tripas.

The Dalai Lama has been conferred the Noble Peace Prize, the Templeton Prize and many honorary degrees and other awards.