Dalai Lama may appoint a regent to succeed him

Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh), Nov.24 : Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, is considering appointing a regent to lead the Tibetan movement after his death until his reincarnation is old enough to take over.

According to The Times, the idea was discussed this week at an unprecedented meeting of 600 Tibetan exiles in Dharamsala, the seat if the exiled Tibetan Government.

It is the latest proposal intended to ensure a smooth succession after the death of the Dalai Lama, who is 73 and has been suffering recently from ill health.

Tibetan exiles are keen to prevent China from hijacking his reincarnation, as it has tried to do with other of the most senior positions in Tibetan Buddhism.

The most likely candidate for the regency is the 23-year-old Karmapa Lama, the third highest in the Tibetan Buddhist hierarchy, who was born and raised in Tibet but escaped to India in 2000.

ANI