India, July 2 -- In a monumental and unprecedented declaration, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has confirmed that the centuries-old institution of the Dalai Lama will continue after his death - an assurance that not only brings hope to millions of Tibetan Buddhists but also directly challenges the Chinese government's ongoing attempts to dominate and redefine Tibetan spiritual traditions. As he approaches his 90th birthday in July 2025, the Dalai Lama has made it unequivocally clear: his successor will be born outside China and the process of identifying the next Dalai Lama will strictly follow Tibetan Buddhist traditions, not Communist Party mandates.

This announcement has far-reaching geopolitical implications. For years, China ha...