Thousands of people gathered in India’s Dharamshala on Sunday to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Dalai Lama – a key milestone in the life of the spiritual leader and Nobel Peace laureate known for his message of compassion and his quest for greater freedoms for Tibet under Beijing’s rule.

Calling himself a "simple Buddhist monk" who usually didn't celebrate birthdays, the Dalai Lama marked his 90th on Sunday by praying for peace after China insisted it would have final say on who succeeded the Tibetan spiritual leader.

DHARAMSHALA, India (AP) — Thousands of Tibetan Buddhists began streaming in India’s Himalayan town of Dharamshala on Sunday to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Dalai Lama, who said days ago that he plans to reincarnate after dying.