Dharamsala, Feb 25 : The Tibetans living in exile in India marked the centenary of the 13th Dalai Lama's exile to India here today.

The 13th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Thupten Gyatso, took refuge in India from 1910 - 1911 following the invasion by Mancho China led by General Chao Er-feng.

The13th Dalai Lama with his followers fled Lhasa and sought refuge in the northeastern parts of India. After two years, when the Mancho Empire collapsed, the 13th Dalai Lama returned back to free Tibet.

So to mark the 100 years of the 13th Dalai Lama's exile to India, a function was organised by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) at Tsuglagkhang, the main Buddhist temple in Dharamsala, which was attended by Buddhist monks, nuns and other Tibetans, including young children.

Tibetan Prime Minister in-exile Samdhong Rinpoche and the speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in-exile, Penpa Tsering, addressed the gathering of Tibetans on the accomplishments of the 13th Dalai Lama.

"100 year in which he first came into exile. So this is a form of commemoration of that important event," said Thubten Samphel, spokesperson of Tibetan government-in-exile.

Samphel added that it is an occasion when Tibetans need to remember the great services rendered by the 13th Dalai Lama to the Tibetan people.