The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Andrew Patrick has hosted Ven. Wadigala Samitharathana Thero, the first Buddhist monk in many years to study at Oxford.

Taking to ‘X’, the British High Commissioner said Ven. Wadigala Samitharathana Thero’s remarkable journey reflects the power of education and the enduring ties between England and Sri Lanka. 

In December 2024, it was reported that St Cross College at the University of Oxford 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. (Newswire)

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