Fifty years ago today the exiled Dalai Lama crossed the border from Tibet into India, leaving his homeland behind under Chinese annexation. Earlier this month the spiritual and political leader of Tibet said that life for Tibetans under Chinese rule has been “Hell on earth.” Joining us to consider the Dalai Lama’s enduring influence is Pico Iyer, the renowned essayist, novelist and travel writer. He first met the Dalai Lama over thirty years ago. His connection with the Dalai Lama and their conversations, which span decades, are the basis of Iyer’s book The Open Road: The Global Journey of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.

Today is the fiftieth anniversary of the Tibetan uprising that forced the Dalai Lama into exile. Last year’s anniversary was marked by riots and protests, but this year, the Chinese government cracked down on any potential political unrest. The Takeaway talks to Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times about the future of Tibet and what the role the U.S. can play in resolving the conflict between China and Tibet.