Naveen Patnaik greets Dalai Lama on birthday

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday wished Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on the occasion of his 85th birthday.

The chief minister also posted his picture with the Dalai Lama in his official Twitter handle.

"Warm wishes to His Holiness @DalaiLama on birthday.

May you be blessed with good health and long life, spreading love, compassion and peace in the world," Patnaik tweeted.

Recently, the Dalai Lama had written to Patnaik and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressing his sympathy for the loss of lives and property in the two states ravaged by cyclone Amphan in May.

The Dalai Lama has been living in India ever since he fled Tibet in 1959. The Tibetan government-in-exile operates from India and over 1,60,000 Tibetans live in the country.

The Tibetan spiritual leader has visited Odisha several times and had met Patnaik at his residence in November 2017.

There is a Tibetan settlement at Chandragiri in Gajapati district of the state.