Dalai Lama has, like thousands of other Tibetans, lived in exile in India ever since 1959 after a series of uprisings and a failed revolt in Chinese-ruled Tibet. Tenzin Gyatso, as he is actually called, is the 14th man in his position and is seen by many followers as a symbol of non-violence, compassion and the struggle for Tibetan cultural identity under Chinese rule.
The celebration of the Lama has been going on throughout the week and culminates on Sunday in a cake party at the Tsuglagkhang temple in Dharamsala, Dalai Lama's official residence.
When I look back on my life, I see that I have not wasted it at all. I live my life to serve other living beings, says Dalai Lama, surrounded by monks and nuns in their traditional red robes with yellow belts, according to AP.
Gere: "Extraordinary"
Thousands of followers have gathered to celebrate, including Hollywood star Richard Gere.
He is the most extraordinary person who has ever walked on this planet, says Gere and is met with thunderous applause from the crowd.
Congratulations have poured in from dignitaries such as India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US's former President Barack Obama.
China wants to take control
In the background of the celebration, however, the struggle over who will be Dalai Lama's successor is ongoing. Earlier in the week, the Lama announced that he will be replaced at his death, an important message for many Tibetans who have feared a future without a leader.
Dalai Lama himself has expressed that his successor will be in the "free world", which for him means outside China. However, China, which views Dalai Lama as a separatist, does not agree. The country has emphasized that his successor must follow Chinese law, religious customs, historical conventions, and above all be approved by the Chinese government.
