Dalai Lama Arrives in New York for Knee Surgery, Receives Warm Welcome from Thousands of Followers

The Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, arrived in New York on Sunday to undergo knee surgery, drawing a festive and warm welcome from thousands of followers who gathered outside his Manhattan hotel. The 88-year-old Buddhist spiritual leader's office in Dharamsala, India, had announced earlier this month that he would travel to the United States for "treatment" on his knees.

The Dalai Lama is scheduled to have surgery on both knees, although no further details have been released. Despite the sweltering heat, followers, many dressed in traditional Tibetan outfits, waited patiently outside his hotel, hoping to catch a glimpse of the revered leader. "Once we saw him, it felt really powerful. And everyone was, like, emotional because he's, like, our leader," said 18-year-old Tenzin Pasang, a US-born Tibetan who has now seen the Dalai Lama three times. Pasang welcomed the spiritual leader by joining in a performance of a traditional Tibetan dance.

The Dalai Lama's visit to the United States comes at a sensitive time, following a meeting between senior US lawmakers, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala last week. The meeting sparked heavy criticism from China, which has long been at odds with the Tibetan government-in-exile. The US Congress recently passed a bill seeking to encourage Beijing to hold talks with Tibetan leaders, which have been frozen since 2010.

Why it Matters : The Dalai Lama's visit to the United States and his meeting with US lawmakers have significant implications for the Tibetan people and their struggle for autonomy. Many exiled Tibetans fear that Beijing will name a rival successor to the Dalai Lama, bolstering control over a land it poured troops into in 1950. The Dalai Lama's leadership has been instrumental in keeping the Tibetan cause alive, and his eventual succession will be a critical moment for the Tibetan people.

The Dalai Lama's life has been marked by his struggle for Tibetan independence and his advocacy for non-violent resistance. He was just 23 when he escaped the Tibetan capital Lhasa in fear for his life after Chinese soldiers crushed an uprising against Beijing's forces, crossing the snowy Himalayas into India. He stepped down as his people's political head in 2011, passing the baton of secular power to a government chosen democratically by some 130,000 Tibetans around the world.

Key Takeaways :

• The Dalai Lama has arrived in New York for knee surgery, drawing a warm welcome from thousands of followers.
• The 88-year-old Buddhist spiritual leader is scheduled to have surgery on both knees, although no further details have been released.
• The Dalai Lama's visit to the United States comes at a sensitive time, following a meeting between senior US lawmakers and the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala.
• Many exiled Tibetans fear that Beijing will name a rival successor to the Dalai Lama, bolstering control over a land it poured troops into in 1950.
• The Dalai Lama's leadership has been instrumental in keeping the Tibetan cause alive, and his eventual succession will be a critical moment for the Tibetan people.