Dalai Lama to leave Indian hospital, resume travel

The Dalai Lama has recovered from surgery to remove gallstones and will resume his travel schedule by the end of the month, a senior aide said Wednesday.

"His Holiness is fine. He has recovered," said Tenzin Takhla, the Dalai Lama's spokesman, adding that he will be discharged from a New Delhi hospital Thursday morning.

The Dalai Lama underwent surgery on Friday. He had had gallstones for more than a decade.

In August, the Tibetan spiritual leader was admitted to a Mumbai hospital and underwent tests for abdominal discomfort. His aides said then he was in good condition, but doctors advised him to cancel a trip to Europe, saying he was suffering from exhaustion.

Takhla said Wednesday that the Dalai Lama would take a scheduled trip to Japan at the end of October.

The Dalai Lama normally spends several months a year traveling overseas to teach Buddhism and highlight the Tibetan struggle for more freedom under Chinese rule. He lives in the north Indian hill town of Dharmsala, where he set up his government-in-exile after fleeing Tibet following a failed 1959 uprising against the Chinese.

Following March protests in Tibet, China has stepped up its campaign to vilify the Dalai Lama, accusing him of leading a campaign to split Tibet from the rest of the country.

The Dalai Lama has denied the allegations, saying he is only seeking greater autonomy for the Himalayan region to protect its unique Buddhist culture.

The Associated Press


