Dharamsala, Aug 15 (IANS): The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) on Tuesday celebrated India's 71st Independence Day and thanked the Indian government and its people for their support.

Donning the traditional Tibetan attire, Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay unfurled the Indian flag at the Kashag Secretariat here while the Indian national anthem played. He greeted Indians on the occasion.

Every year, the CTA holds functions at its headquarters to celebrate India's Independence Day and Republic Day.

Expressing gratitude to India, Sangay posted the patriotic song "Ae Hind Tujh Ko Salam" or Salute to India on Twitter. The song was sung in Hindi by Tibetan singer Pasang Dolma.

The song traces the journey of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama from Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh in 1959 to his meetings with Indian Prime Ministers, starting from Jawaharlal Nehru to incumbent Narendra Modi.

The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing China in 1959 after a failed uprising against Communist rule over Tibet. The government-in-exile is based in Dharamsala.