Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, June 4: The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama announced on Thursday that the Tibetan spiritual leader will depart Dharamshala on June 5 for Delhi, where he is scheduled to undergo medical treatment for his left knee.
According to an official statement, the nonagenarian leader is expected to travel to Ladakh toward the end of June following his recovery, where he will spend an extended period as part of his annual summer stay.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama traditionally spends several weeks in Ladakh during the summer months, a practice that allows him to avoid the heavy monsoon rains in Dharamshala while continuing his public teachings and engagements in the Himalayan region.
The scheduled treatment follows a successful knee replacement surgery performed in June of last year at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York, a leading academic medical centre specializing in musculoskeletal health. HSS has consistently ranked among the top hospitals in the United States for orthopaedics and rheumatology and was named the nation’s top orthopaedic hospital for 14 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report (2023–2024).
Following the surgery, the Tibetan spiritual leader temporarily resided in Syracuse, New York, to facilitate his recovery, which included extensive physical therapy. Since returning to Dharamshala, he has remained active and mobile, though he occasionally relies on aides and a golf cart to cover longer distances between his residence and the courtyard of the Tsuglagkhang, the Main Tibetan Temple, during major public events and ceremonies.
The 90-year-old spiritual leader has been experiencing knee problems that have necessitated medical treatment. He is set to celebrate his 91st birthday on July 6, which is expected to take place during his stay in Ladakh.
