Dalai Lama’s 90th Birthday Sparks Speculation Over Anointing Successor

As the Dalai Lama approaches his ninetieth birthday on July 6, The Times of India has speculated whether he will announce his successor –- the next spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan community. Preparations for the event at the Tibetan government-in-exile's headquarters in McLeodganj, Himachal Pradesh, are underway. The announcement would be a direct challenge to China's desire to control the selection of the next spiritual leader, especially with the Panchen Lama, the second-highest ranking Tibetan Buddhist figure, under Chinese confinement. There is also a possibility the Dalai Lama may declare an end to the institution's reincarnation process. Tibetan government officials, however, stress that there is no urgency for such an announcement as the Dalai Lama has stated he plans to live to 110 years.