I am 'supported by Indian rice and Indian dollar: Dalai Lama

After spending over five decades in exile in India, Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, says he feels at home in the country where his body is being "supported by Indian rice and Indian dollar".

The 14th Dalai Lama, who escaped from Tibet in 1959 after an abortive uprising against the Chinese rule in his Himalayan homeland, says he occasionally conjures up memories of his childhood in Tibet.

But after more than 50 years in India, "my body (is) supported by Indian rice and Indian dollar," the 74-year-old Buddhist monk told CNN's 'Larry King Live'.

China calls the Nobel Peace Prize laureate a "separatist" and accuses him of aiming to sever Tibet from China.

Asked whether he has love for the Chinese, he answered, "Certainly. We have to practise that."

At the same time, he admitted to "some irritation" with the Chinese hardliners, but insisted they are "small moments."

Though China claims Tibetans were "very happy" now, the Dalai Lama said his Tibetan government-in-exile has received information indicating "suppression ... or restrictions" culturally and religiously of the Tibetan people.

He said that Tibetans "are not seeking independence."

"That's why we are called 'middle way'," he said. "We complain (about) the presence of policy in Tibet. It is actually very much damaging. ... But (on the) other hand, we also do not want separation from China because ... Tibet (is a) landlocked country, materially backward. Every Tibetan want modernised Tibet, so for that reason, (we) remain within the People's Republic of China."