The Dalai Lama will undergo surgery in India to remove gallstones, a senior aide said on Friday, following his brief admission to a hospital in August with abdominal discomfort.

"He (the Dalai Lama) is going to undergo the removal of gall stones, which I believe is a simple routine procedure," Chhime R. Chhoekyapa, a senior aide to the Dalai Lama said.

"Otherwise his health is fine. It is just to remove the gallstones, nothing else."

Doctors had earlier advised the Dalai Lama to cut down on long travels and rest more.

US President George W. Bush called to inquire about his health last month after the Nobel Peace Prize winner cancelled visits to Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

At his public discourses, the Dalai Lama has routinely spoken for three to four hours, cheerfully answering questions from followers and admirers.