Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (1935- Present) is the 14th and current Dalai Lama. Traditionally the Dalai Lamas have been spiritual leaders of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and the directors of the Tibetan government.
The current Dalai Lama was born Lhamo Döndrub in the farming village of Taktser in Tibet. He was proclaimed to be the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama at age 2, and at age 15 he was officially instated as Dalai Lama. One year into his rule, the People's Republic of China pressured him into signing control over Tibet. He was forced to flee in 1959 after a Tibetan uprising. Establishing a base in Dharamshala, India, he has ruled the Tibetan government-in-exile ever since. During his reign he has spread Buddhist teachings, engaged in inter-faith dialogue with major religious leaders (including three Popes) and raised awareness of the Tibetan occupation. He is an internationally recognized and respected leader, winning the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1989.
The current Dalai Lama was born Lhamo Döndrub in the farming village of Taktser in Tibet. He was proclaimed to be the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama at age 2, and at age 15 he was officially instated as Dalai Lama. One year into his rule, the People's Republic of China pressured him into signing control over Tibet. He was forced to flee in 1959 after a Tibetan uprising. Establishing a base in Dharamshala, India, he has ruled the Tibetan government-in-exile ever since. During his reign he has spread Buddhist teachings, engaged in inter-faith dialogue with major religious leaders (including three Popes) and raised awareness of the Tibetan occupation. He is an internationally recognized and respected leader, winning the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1989.
