Delhi's Tibetans in exile reject China's 'fake Dalai Lama’ plan - Majnu Ka Tila left worried

As the 14th Dalai Lama prepares to mark his 90th birthday this Sunday, a quiet intensity has gripped Majnu Ka Tila, the bustling Tibetan settlement tucked beside the Yamuna in North Delhi. Known for its fluttering prayer flags, steaming momos and sacred chants, the neighbourhood now hums with an anxious undercurrent over the future of their spiritual leader.

At the heart of the concern is the contentious issue of the Dalai Lama's succession, a matter that holds spiritual, political and cultural significance for the global Tibetan diaspora, especially those living in exile. For the thousands who have found refuge in India, the question is not just about who the next leader will be, but about safeguarding the legitimacy of their tradition from foreign interference, TOI reported.

“We exist because of the Dalai Lama. Only His Holiness and his trust have the sole authority to recognise the future reincarnation,” said Ngodup Choephel, president of the RWA in New Aruna Nagar Colony, the main residential cluster for Tibetans in Delhi, as quoted by TOI.

On Wednesday, the Dalai Lama reiterated that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, founded by him, is the only body with the authority to identify his reincarnation. “No one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter,” he stated, an unambiguous reference to China’s efforts to assert control over the process.

The Chinese government has long indicated its intention to name a successor of its own, a move that has drawn sharp rejection from the Tibetan exile community. For many in Majnu Ka Tila, such a move is seen not just as political overreach but as a direct threat to their identity and beliefs.

"Dalai Lama is our main leader... It’s who we are," TOI quoted Tenzing Tsundue, 47, a Tibetan born in Himachal Pradesh and now running a business in Delhi. “Dalai Lama is a messenger of peace and everyone wants peace. China has never recognised or believed in the Dalai Lama, then why is it suddenly interested in choosing a successor of its own”

The possibility of two competing Dalai Lamas - one recognised by the Tibetan community and the other by the Chinese state — has sparked strong sentiments among Tibetan leaders and residents alike.

Tashi Lhamo, president of the Regional Tibetan Women's Association, was quoted by TOI as saying, “The Chinese Communist Party doesn’t have any legitimacy or right to interfere in the reincarnation process of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They themselves are atheists and don’t believe in religion… They destroy big monasteries.”

She added that any reincarnation announced by Beijing would be considered a “fake Dalai Lama” and that the true lineage would be upheld by the Gaden Phodrang Trust. “The institution of the Dalai Lama has continued from the 1st to the 14th. It will continue to the 15th, 16th and beyond,” she said.

Sonam Phelguyal, 39, a second-generation Tibetan born in Delhi, recalled how his father fled from Tibet but was arrested at the Nepal border and spent nearly seven years in prison before finally settling in India.

“Though I was born in Delhi, I went to Tibet in 2007 for four months. I had to apply for a visa to visit my own country,” he was cited by TOI. “In Tibet, which is under the control of China, we cannot say the name of the Dalai Lama or carry the nation’s flag or take any photographs. If anyone flouts their rules, they are immediately arrested.”

Phelguyal is now helping organise the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday celebration in the capital, with the main event scheduled for Sunday at the Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV) school in Majnu Ka Tila. The school, a long-standing institution for Tibetan refugee children in Delhi, has become the centre of activity for the commemoration.

A prayer will open the event at 9 am, followed by cultural performances, cake cutting and speeches. The celebrations mark the beginning of a year-long observance of the “Year of Compassion”, which will run from  July 6, 2025 to July 5, 2026.

Meanwhile, exhibitions and discussions on the Dalai Lama’s four principal commitments - peace, environment, secular ethics and preservation of Tibetan culture - are being planned across Delhi over the coming months.