On 17 September 2023, Ms. Acharapan Yavaprapas, Consul-General of Thailand in Kolkata was invited as Chief Guest to the Dhamma Sabha in Celebration of the 159^th Birth Anniversary of Anagarika Dharmapala, Founder of Maha Bodhi Society of India at the Society’s Headquarters in Kolkata. The event was presided over by Venerable P. Seewalee Thero, General Secreatry, and Shri Siddhartha Mukhopadhyay, Vice President of the Society, and attended by over 50 Buddhist devotees.      

Consul-General commended Anagarika Dharmapala’s contribition to the restoration of Buddhist holy sites and places of worship in India, which has helped enable Buddhist pilgrimage in India for Thai people and thereby strengthend Indo-Thai people-to-people relations. Thailand was among the first countries to establsh Buddhist temples in Bodhgaya; namely, the Royal Thai Monastery, Bodhgaya to celebrate the 25^th Buddhist Century in 1957 by the invitation of then Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru. The construction of the Royal Thai Monastery, Bodhgaya was carried out during the tenure of Phra Bahiddha-Nukara, then Thai Ambassador to India and grandfather of Mr. Panpree Bahiddha-Nukara, the current Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. Moreover, on 25 July 2023, Venerable M. Suseela Thero, representative of General Secretary of the Society has kindly presided over a special prayer and meditation session to commemorate the 96^th Birthday Anniversary of His Holiness Somdet Phra Ariyavongsagatayana, the Supreme Patriach of Thailand, which was co-organised by the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Kolkata and the Royal Thai Monastery, Bodhgaya.

Maha Bodhi Society of India is a prestigious organisation established in 1891 with an aim to restore Buddhist holy sites in India and Nepal, especially the right to worship at Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya, State of Bihar for worldwide Buddhist followers. In addition, the Society was the first Indian organisation to receive ‘World Tipitaka (Buddhist’s holy book) in Roman Script’ from Her Royal Highness Princess Galya Nivadhna, aunt of His Majesty the King of Thailand in 2007.