I am one of six million Tibetans who wholeheartedly support His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s roadmap for his next reincarnation. This is not merely a matter of faith, nor simply a question of tradition. It is the assertion of a people’s right to determine their spiritual destiny, free from external interference, and to safeguard the continuity of our culture and identity.
For Tibetans, the Dalai Lama is not only a spiritual leader but the embodiment of our collective resilience. His roadmap for reincarnation is both pragmatic and visionary. Pragmatic because it anticipates the political attempts to manipulate or distort the sacred process; visionary because it ensures that Tibetans themselves, whether in Tibet or in exile, will remain the guardians of authenticity. His Holiness has made clear that the choice of his reincarnation belongs to the Tibetan people and the Tibetan Buddhist tradition; not to governments or institutions seeking to impose their will.
This clarity resonates deeply among us. In Tibet, despite decades of repression, the devotion to His Holiness remains unbroken. In the diaspora, scattered across India, Nepal, Europe, and the Americas, our unity is anchored in his guidance. To say that “all Tibetans support him” is not hyperbole; it is the lived reality of a people whose spiritual and cultural survival depends on his leadership. The roadmap is our collective shield against appropriation, a declaration that Tibetans alone will decide the future of the Dalai Lama institution.
Critics may dismiss this unanimity as romanticized, but they misunderstand the nature of Tibetan solidarity. We are a people fractured by geography yet bound by memory and devotion. The Dalai Lama’s roadmap is not an abstract doctrine; it is a lifeline. It tells us that even in exile, even under occupation, Tibetans remain the authors of their own destiny. That is why support is total, unwavering, and absolute.
The world should understand. Reincarnation is not a political appointment. It is a sacred process rooted in centuries of Tibetan Buddhist practice. His Holiness has outlined how he will leave instructions, how senior lamas and institutions will discern his rebirth, and how the Tibetan people will recognize their leader. This roadmap is both a spiritual covenant and a political safeguard. It ensures continuity while denying legitimacy to any attempt by external powers to manufacture a false Dalai Lama.
As one Tibetan among millions, I affirm this truth. Our support is unanimous because our survival depends on it. His Holiness has given us a path forward, one that honors tradition while protecting against distortion. In Tibet and across the diaspora, we stand united. The Dalai Lama’s roadmap is not only his vision….it is our collective will.
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Khedroob Thondup
Khedroob Thondup is the son of Gyalo Thondup, elder brother of the Dalai Lama. Educated at St. Stephens College Delhi University and the University of San Francisco. He was a personal assistant to the Dalai Lama and accompanied him on his first trip to the U.S. in 1979. He was sent by the Dalai Lama to Beijing from 1980 till 1993 for dialogue talks where he interacted with Xi Zhongxun and Hu Jintao. He has served as Member of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile for three terms and is the President of the Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre Darjeeling since 1987. He has edited two books, Dalai Lama My Son and Tibet in Turmoil and presently lives in Taipei, Taiwan.
