Dalai Lama expresses concern over plight of Tibet's people

Presiding over the special prayer sessions at the hilltop Tsuglagkhang temple at McLeodganj near here to mark Losar (Tibetan New Year), the Dalai Lama offered greetings to the Tibetans - both living inside and outside Tibet. According to the Tibetan lunar calendar, Losar is the first day of the year and traditionally celebrated in a big way.
"Despite facing great problems in Tibet for many years, the Tibetan people living inside have shown indomitable courage and sincerity in standing up to the situation," the Nobel laureate said in his address.

"Tibetans are marking the year as a year of remembrance of Tibetan people's suffering... Tibetans living in the free world must not forget the critical situation in Tibet. The Tibetans in exile must keep up their sincerity and courage like their brethren in Tibet," he said.
Speaking of education, the spiritual guru "urged Tibetans, Mongolians and the people of Himalayan region to put more efforts in education and to excel in the study of Tibetan Buddhism".

He underlined the study of Tibet's unique secular education, particularly the philosophy of religion.

Thousands of exiles assembled for celebrations of Losar in this hill station in northern India where his government-in-exile is based. It is not recognised by any country.
Representatives of the Tibetan parliament and the Tibetan cabinet also attended the celebrations.

The Dalai Lama, who along with many of his supporters fled Tibet and took refuge here in 1959, has spent the last two decades of his exile campaigning for "meaningful autonomy" for his homeland.

Nearly six million Tibetans live in Tibet region of China while over 150,000 live in other countries, most of them in India.