Tibetan exiles in northern India held a candlelight march on Monday, to urge China to release the Panchen Lama.

Human rights activists say the Panchen Lama who disappeared when he was six years old is the world's youngest political prisoner.

Tibetans believe the Panchen Lama is their second highest spiritual leader.

They are picked by a traditional method when they are young boys - but China openly disapproved of Tibet's choice.

On Saturday exiles marked what should have been his 20th birthday.

Speaking at the march, the President of the Tibetan Youth Association, urged the international community to release the Lama:

[Khentse, President of the Tibetan Youth Association in Manali]: "Panchen Lama was born on the 25th of April 1989. Red China arrested him when he was six years old. We don't know anything about the Lama,
his health and everything. Nobody knows this. We request the people of India, the government of India and the people in the world to help release him from Red China."

Gendhun Chockyi Nyima, was chosen as the 11th Panchen Lama by Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

But his choice was rejected by China and the young boy disappeared soon afterwards.

China, meanwhile, installed its' own Panchen  Lama -- Gyaltsen Norbu -- who has only recently stepped into the spotlight to praise the Chinese Communist Party.

Tibetans around the world say the Chinese authorities kidnapped the original Panchen Lama.

Beijing has denied holding him.