Dalai Lama may name reincarnation on July 2: Report
Bengaluru: The 14th Dalai Lama is expected to make a significant announcement, most likely on his reincarnation, on July 2, four days before he turns 90 on July 6.
“Dalai Lama will make an important announcement on July 2. It is likely to be about his reincarnation,” The New Indian Express quoted Penpa Tsering, Sikyong (President), Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), as saying.
The announcement is set to coincide with a high-level meeting in Dharamshala, where the Nobel Peace Prize-winning monk will convene with senior leaders from the four major Buddhist sects—Sakya, Kagyu, Nyingma, and Gelug—between July 2 and 4. Dharamshala also serves as the headquarters of the CTA.
The question of the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation holds deep significance, not only for Tibetans but also for communities across the Himalayan region, from Lhasa to Arunachal Pradesh, who revere him as their spiritual guide. However, the issue remains a contentious one with the People’s Republic of China, which regards the Dalai Lama as a separatist figure and a symbol of Tibetan resistance, added the report.
In 2011, the Dalai Lama formally stepped down as the political head of Tibetans in exile, transferring his responsibilities to the democratically elected leadership of the CTA. At the time, he made it clear that his successor, male or female, will be born in a free world, a pointed message challenging China’s claim of having the exclusive right to appoint the next Dalai Lama.
As part of the upcoming milestone, the CTA is reportedly planning for a year-long celebration marking the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, which will begin on July 2, 2025, and continue until July 2026.
“We are celebrating the period as the ‘Year of Compassion’ and have scheduled multiple events, from prayers for His Holiness’ long life to religious and cultural events, which will be spread throughout the year,” said Tsering.
Meanwhile, the July 6 celebrations are expected to witness the presence of prominent dignitaries, including a Union minister, several chief ministers, and Members of Parliament. Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara has also been invited by the Central Tibetan Administration, recognising the state’s unique connection to the Tibetan community. Karnataka is home to the world's largest Tibetan diaspora, with five major settlements—two in Bylakuppe (Mysuru district), and one each in Mundgod (Uttara Kannada), Hunsur (Mysuru), and Kollegal (Chamarajanagar).
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Two injuries, one DNF, a DQ as India end messy World Relays campaign
Gaborone (Botswana) (PTI): Amoj Jacob and Ragul Kumar got injured during the men's 4x400m and 4x100 races respectively as India ended their World Athletics Relays campaign in disappointment on the second day of competitions here on Sunday.
The Indian camp had high hopes of making the 2027 World Championships in the men's 4x400m relay but the team did not finish (DNF) the race as Jacob suffered cramps and pulled out of the race after taking the baton from the first leg runner Dharamveer Choudhary. Rajesh Ramesh and Vishal TK were to run in the third and fourth legs.
Those teams which could not qualify for the 2027 Beijing World Championships by reaching the final round of each of the six relay events on Saturday were given another chance in the second qualification round on Sunday.
The top two teams in each of the two heats (in all six relay events) booked the Beijing ticket on Sunday.
India will now have to try and qualify for the World Championships through the Top Lists of the World Athletics, which is a long and tedious process.
In the men's 4x100m race, third leg runner Ragul Kumar fell down the track after failing to hand over the baton inside the exchange zone to fourth leg runner Gurindervir Singh, which clearly showed the lack of coordination among the runners.
Harsh Santosh Raut and Animesh Kujur ran the first two legs.
The Indian quartet was disqualified and Kumar was seen being taken away from the Field of Play with the help of the volunteers.
It was a comedy of errors in the case of the women's 4x100m race, which saw the baton being dropped during an exchange between first leg runner Tamanna and second runner Nithya Gandhe, though the Indians finished the race in 53.09 seconds.
Gandhe started running quite a distance, but after realising that the baton was not in her hand, she turned and ran back to pick it up.
The only silver-lining for the Indian contingent was the national record time in the mixed 4x100m relay race, though the quartet of Ragul Kumar, Nithya Gandhe, Animesh Kujur and Sneha SS finished sixth in heat number two with a time of 41.35 seconds, bettering the previous national mark of 42.30 seconds set in March in Chandigarh.
The mixed 4x400m relay quartet of Theerthesh P Shetty, Kumari Saloni, Nihal William and Rashdeep Kaur ended at fifth in heat number one with a time of 3 minutes and 19.40 seconds.
On Saturday, all the five Indian relay teams had failed to make it to the respective final rounds and thus missed out on the 2027 World Championships berths.
