Gyanashree Mahathero

Gyanashree Mahathero (born 18 November 1925) is a Bangladeshi Buddhist monk. The Government of Bangladesh awarded him the Ekushey Padak in 2022 for his significant contribution to social service.

Biography
Gyanashree Mahathero was born on 18 November 1925 in the village of Domkhali, North Gujra, Raozan, Chittagong District. He has been staying at Nandankanan Buddhist Monastery in the Chittagong Hill Tracts since 1958.

Mahathero became a shramana in 1944 and a monk in 1949. He studied till the entrance. He took the initiative to spread the economic, social, religious and educational life of the Buddhist common people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. He established many religious and educational institutions in the hilly and plain areas. In 1974, he set up a monastery, where residential schools were set up to provide general education to poor, orphaned and helpless children in Buddhist communities. He established several Buddhist educational centers at Joypurhat and Rangpur.

Award

 * Ekushey Padak (2022)
 * Aggamahāpaṇḍita (2023)