Five US Congress Members Meet Dalai Lama in Dharamshala; Sikyong Penpa Tsering Present
A five-member delegation of the US Congress met the 14th Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, at his residence in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, on Wednesday. Sikyong Penpa Tsering, head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), was also present during the meeting.
Arvind Sharma
Oct 21, 2026 08:23
0
Dharamshala, October 21, 2026: A five-member delegation of the US Congress met the 14th Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, at his residence in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, on Wednesday. Sikyong Penpa Tsering, head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), was also present during the meeting.
The delegation included US Representatives Jason Smith, David Schweikert, Elise Stefanik, Laura Friedman and Andy Ogles. The visit is being seen as a significant engagement between US lawmakers and the Tibetan leadership amid continuing international concerns over human rights, religious freedom and the situation in Tibet.
The interaction underscored the continued engagement of US lawmakers with the Tibetan leadership and the Tibetan cause. Issues concerning the preservation of Tibetan culture, religious freedom and the rights of Tibetans have remained matters of concern in US political and diplomatic circles.
Before arriving in Dharamshala, the US congressional delegation reportedly met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Mumbai. Their discussions covered India-US relations, including trade, energy, security, technology and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
The delegation also held a separate meeting with Sikyong Penpa Tsering, further highlighting its engagement with the Tibetan administration.
