Ven. BHIKKHU BODHIPALA (S.DINAKARA RUBAN) was born a Protestant Christian on 18-5-1955 to Mrs. & Mr. J.Solomon Raj of Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu, South India. He graduated from Raja Duraisingam Memorial College, Sivaganga. In 1977 he embraced Buddhism under the preceptorship of (Late) Ven.E.Nandiswara Nayaka Thera, the then Secretary General of Maha Bodhi Society of India, Kolkatha. He had Buddhist training under the guidance, of (Late) Ven.Dr.Ananda Kosalyayana Maha Thera of Nagpur. After his retirement from Government service he was ordained a Bhikkhu under the preceptorship of, Ven.Dr.Rastrapala Maha Thera, internationally a reputed, Teacher of Buddhist Meditation.

BHIKKHU BODHIPALA has penned many books and articles both in Tamil and English. He has been awarded Degree of Doctor of philosophy by Madurai Kamaraj University. The theme of his research is Buddhist meditation. Presently he is deeply engaged in teaching Buddhist Meditation.

Our grand master is a versatile personality. He was a musician before his Bhikkhu (Monk) ordination and was playing on sitar. On the other hand he has bagged many academic awards from various disciplines such as Economics, Law, Gandhian thought, Science of paces Making, Inter- Religious Dialogue, Buddhist studies. Altogether he has qualified himself with a Bachelors Degree in Economics, Master Degrees in Gandhian Thought and English Literature, Post Graduate Diplomas in Ghandian Thought and Inter Religious Dialogue, M. Phil Degree in Peace Science and Ph.D in Vipassana.

• He has attended to 10 International conferences and presented papers in various themes Peace Making, Gandhian Thought and Buddhism.
• 25 All India conferences on the above topics.
• He has given 30 hour T.V Programme in Sri Lanka related to Buddhism.
• 50 hours programmed in Sri Lanka Broad Casting Corporation - related to Buddhism.
• He has penned more than 25 books. One of the famous edition is "Buddhist Physics" which earned world wide reputation for him. He is conversant in five languages - Tamil, English, Sinhalese, Hindi and Pali.
• He has initiated more than 5000 people in Vipassana and Tibetan Yoga within a span of 10 years in India and abroad.
• He was serving in the Labour Department, Governments of India Since 1979 to 1999.
• Currently he has engaged himself in teaching Buddhist Meditation.