Dharamsala, June 19 : His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Thursday congratulated President Droupadi Murmu on the eve of her 67th birthday and wished her good health and success in leading this great country.

President Murmu's birthday falls on June 20. She was born in 1958.

'As you know, after being forced to flee Tibet following the Tibetan people's uprising against the PRC authorities in March 1959, I have spent the major part of my life in India,' the Nobel Peace laureate wrote to Murmu.

'I therefore feel a special closeness to this country. Over and above its being the most populous country in the world, and the largest democracy, India has a vast resource of ancient wisdom. I believe that if this is combined with modern education, it will make a beneficial contribution to greater peace and happiness in the world.

'On my part, I am specifically committed to encouraging a deeper awareness of the profound, ancient Indian understanding of the workings of our mind and emotions.

'This, I believe, lays the basis for achieving peace of mind and developing a warm heart. It can also help us overcome such destructive emotions as anger, fear and hatred that undermine our ability to create a peaceful, more compassionate world.

'As Tibetans, we are deeply indebted to the government and people of India for the warm hospitality they have shown us for more than 66 years. We are also most grateful for the generous support we have received in our endeavours to protect and preserve our Buddhist culture that is founded on India's age-old values of karuna and ahimsa.'

His Holiness concluded by wishing the President happiness, good health and success.

In 1959, the occupying Chinese troops suppressed the Tibetan national uprising in Lhasa and forced the 14th Dalai Lama and over 80,000 Tibetans into exile in India and neighbouring countries.

On reaching India after a three-week treacherous journey, the Dalai Lama took up residence for about a year in Mussoorie in Uttarakhand.

Currently, the Tibetan government-in-exile is based in Dharamsala, where a community of Tibetans lives in exile with the Dalai Lama, hoping to sustain their struggle to secure complete autonomy in their Chinese-ruled homeland, Tibet.

/IANS