Dalai Lama Returns Home After Knee Surgery In New York - And A Top Meeting

The Dalai Lama has returned to his home in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, after undergoing knee replacement surgery in New York in June.

The Tibetan spiritual leader was accorded a warm welcome by the local people at Kangra Airport, according to the Dalai Lama's official website.

The Dalai Lama was recovering well from the surgery and was expected to continue improving over the next 6 to 12 months, said Dr David Mayman, the chief of the adult reconstruction and joint replacement service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, according to news agency Associated Press.

His surgical incision had completely healed without any complications, physicians to the Dalai Lama Dr Tsetan D Sadutshang and Dr Tsewang Tamdin said, according to Associated Press.

While in New York, the Dalai Lama met senior US officials in a rare high-level direct meeting between Washington and the exiled leader.

The Dalai Lama met senior US State Department official Uzra Zeya and White House National Security Council official Kelly Razzouk. During this meeting Ms Zeya "reaffirmed the US commitment to advancing the human rights of Tibetans and supporting efforts to preserve their distinct historical, linguistic, cultural, and religious heritage".

The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet. China considers him a separatist and opposes contact by officials of any country with him. China has not had any direct contact with the exiled leader or his representatives since 2010.

During the audience with the Dalai Lama, Ms Zeya also discussed US "support for resuming dialogue between the People's Republic of China and His Holiness and his representatives", a statement by the US Department of State said.

China's foreign ministry condemned the meeting on Thursday. "China firmly opposes any country allowing the Dalai Lama to visit under any pretext and strongly opposes any form of meetings between government officials of any country and the Dalai Lama," ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, adding that Beijing had "lodged a strong protest" with Washington.

The Dalai Lama, 89, stepped down as the political head of the Tibetan community in 2011, handing over his responsibilities to an elected leadership.