7 December 2023 marks the 96th birthday of the most Venerable Dr. Henepola Gunaratana Nayaka Thero, a highly-regarded speaker, meditation teacher, and senior prelate in North America.  Fondly known as ‘Bhante G’, Ven. Gunaratana left Sri Lanka as a young monk equipped with a missionary spirit to propagate Dhamma in India, Malaysia and the United States of America.

Ven. Gunaratana was a resident bhikkhu at Buddhist Mahā Vihāra in Kuala Lumpur from 1958 to 1968, assisting the late Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Nāyaka Thero to propagate Buddhism in Malaysia.  Ven. Gunaratana currently resides at Bhāvanā Society in West Virginia, U.S.A., where he serves as Founder-President and Abbot.

Nalanda Buddhist Society members extend our felicitations and warmest wishes to Bhante G on his 96th birthday, today.  May Bhante live long and in the best of health always.  Happy Birthday Bhante!