In message to China, Dalai Lama says his successor may come from India

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama said on Monday it was possible that once he dies, his next successor could be from India, where he has lived in exile for 60 years, and warned that any other successor named by China would not be respected, reported Reuters.

The remarks by Dalai Lama came a day after Tibetans celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Dalai Lama's escape to India from Tibet.

“China considers Dalai Lama's reincarnation as something very important. They have more concern about the next Dalai Lama than me,” Reuters quoted Dalai Lama as saying.

“In future, in case you see two Dalai Lamas come, one from here, in free country, one chosen by Chinese, then nobody will trust, nobody will respect (the one chosen by China). So that's an additional problem for the Chinese! It's possible, it can happen” he added.

Since he left Tibet in 1959 to escape from the Chinese occupation, the Dalai Lama, 83, has been keeping China on tenterhooks about his successor.

China says that the successor to the Dalai Lama must be chosen according to the religious rituals and historical conventions as well as the backing from the ruling Communist Party.

Since he left Tibet in 1959 to escape from the Chinese occupation, the Dalai Lama, 83, has been keeping China on tenterhooks about his successor.

China says that the successor to the Dalai Lama must be chosen according to the religious rituals and historical conventions as well as the backing from the ruling Communist Party.

The 14th Dalai Lama, who is arguably the most popular and consequential in the tradition's history, is much more inclined to end his lineage and preempt reincarnation.