Guwahati: China on Monday criticised the Grammy Award conferred on the Dalai Lama, saying it “firmly opposes” the Tibetan spiritual leader using the international recognition to promote what it described as “anti-China activities.”
The 90-year-old Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, won his first Grammy on Sunday in the Best Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording category for his spoken-word album Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the 68th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
Responding to questions about the award, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian reiterated Beijing’s long-standing stance, alleging that the Dalai Lama is involved in separatist activities under the guise of religion. “The Dalai Lama is not purely a religious figure. He is a political exile committed to anti-China separatist activities disguised as religion,” Lin said, adding that China opposes any attempt by “relevant parties” to use the Grammy recognition as a tool to advance such activities.
The Dalai Lama has been living in exile in Dharamsala since fleeing Tibet in 1959. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his consistent non-violent advocacy for the rights and freedom of the Tibetan people.
At the Grammys, the Dalai Lama won over nominees including Kathy Garver (Elvis Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story), Trevor Noah (Into The Uncut Grass), Ketanji Brown Jackson (Lovely One: A Memoir), and Fab Morvan (You Know It’s True: The Real Story of Milli Vanilli).
Reacting to the award, the Dalai Lama expressed gratitude and humility, saying he viewed it not as a personal achievement but as recognition of a collective responsibility. “I receive this recognition with gratitude and humility. I don’t see it as something personal, but as a recognition of our shared universal responsibility,” he said. He added that the award offered an opportunity to amplify his message: “Peace, compassion, care for our environment, and understanding the oneness of humanity are essential for the collective well-being of all eight billion human beings. I am grateful that this Grammy recognition can help spread these messages more widely.”