His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Dharamshala, India, 1989

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

While in India on my first Major assignment, Two important events happened at that time in the World, One was the Berlin Wall came down and The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, I heard the news while in Rajasthan and decided to visit as I heard there was a celebration in Dharamshala, In 1989 life was easier and more relaxed as far as getting close to people who were important and in my case to Photograph. The evening before I was in Hotel Tibet singing Irish songs and many the Tibetan Government in exile were there listening and enjoying the likes of Molly Malone, Dublin's fair City ..........and under the influence was getting them to join me in ....
Alive, alive, oh
Alive, alive, oh
Crying "cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh"

They loved it and we were there till 4am.

With my sore head the next day I joined the celebration and it was held in the Tcv School Ground, Mcleodganj, Dharamshala; Not like nowadays with all the security and pomp it was a joyous time and very relaxed and even was introduced to his sister who was master of ceremonies.
He arrived and was watching the ceremony from his elevated seat and from the side I got in close and shouted in Hindi to smile and he turned and here is the result, never published to this day and first time I show it on social media.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk. He is the spiritual leader of Tibet.
The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for advocating peaceful solutions based upon tolerance and mutual respect in order to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of the Tibetan people.
Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh is where the Dalai Lama resides. He has been living here since 1959, when he was forced to escape into exile after the brutal suppression of Tibetan national uprising by the Chinese troops.