Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama was on Wednesday presented the 1959 Ramon Magsaysay Award personally by members of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation after 64 years at his residence in the hill town of Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh.

The Dalai Lama's office said this was the first international award given to His Holiness "for Community Leadership in recognition of his leadership of the Tibetan community's gallant struggle in defense of the sacred religion that is the inspiration of their life and culture" by the Foundation in the Philippines in August 1959.

The Nobel Peace laureate, known for his simplicity and typical jovial style and for whom Mahatma Gandhi is the most influential leader of the 20th century for his idea of non-violence, prefers to participate in meetings with religious leaders, and lectures students and businessmen on ethics for the new millennium and the art of happiness.

In 2007, the Dalai Lama received the US Congressional Gold Medal, even in the face of protests by China.

Born on July 6, 1935, at Taktser hamlet in northeastern Tibet, the Dalai Lama was recognised at the age of two as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso.

He fled Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, basing his government-in-exile here that never won recognition from any country.

About 80,000 Tibetans are settled in 54 different locations across India, Nepal and Bhutan. [IANS/NS]