The current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was identified as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two, based on his recognition of personal belongings of his predecessor. His formal enthronement followed years of rigorous spiritual validation.

The Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, said on Wednesday that upon his death he would be reincarnated as the next spiritual leader and that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust would be able to identify his successor. He previously said the person will be born outside China.