Honorary degree conferred on Mahanayake Thera

The Most Ven. Bellana Sri Gnanawimala Mahanayake Thera of the Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha has been conferred the 'Agga Maha Panditha' honorary degree by the Government of Myanmar. He will receive the honorary degree at a State ceremony held in Myanmar on May 27.

On his returns to Sri Lanka A felicitation ceremony will be held in his honour at the Kotte Raja Maha Viharaya on June 15 at 3 p.m. The Maha Sangha led by the Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkhita Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter, President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne, Ministers and several other VIPs will grace the occasion.

Secretary of the Felicitation organising committee Ven. Dr. Kollupitiye Rahula Thera said the Most Ven. Gnanawimala Mahanayake Thera had been conferred the Agga Maha Panditha degree in recognition of his religious and literary service. The Mahanayake Thera is a learned prelate well versed in Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit, Pakrutha, Hindi and English. Earlier he was conferred the D.Lit and Rajakeeya Panditha degrees.

The Mahanayake Thera has also functioned as Parivenadhipathi, Bellana Sri Dharmapala Pirivena, Lecturer attached to Vidyodaya University and a Vice Principal of the Vidyodaya Maha Pirivena. He also functioned as Chairman of the Buddhist Commission and travelled extensively in India and UK on dhammaduta activities.