St Cross College at the University of Oxford has welcomed Venerable Wadigala Samitharathana as the first Sri Lankan Buddhist monk to attend the university in 105 years.
Venerable Samitharathana, a Glorisun Scholar, is pursuing an MPhil in Buddhist Studies at the college, marking a historic milestone for both Sri Lanka and Oxford.
St Cross College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, known for its vibrant and diverse academic community.
The last Sri Lankan Buddhist monk to study at Oxford was Venerable Suriyagoda Sumangala, who became the first monk to receive a scholarship there in 1919. He enrolled as a non-collegiate student and later pursued a BLitt at Harris Manchester College.
Reflecting on his enrollment, Venerable Samitharathana expressed gratitude to those who supported his academic journey.
“My life as a Buddhist monk at Oxford, will solely be dedicated to the growth of Buddhist scholarship and societal well-being – far beyond all cross-sectional boundaries,” he said. (Islandnews)
