On 14 October 2014, H.E. Mr. Nopporn Adchariyavanich, Thai Ambassador to Sri Lanka, donated sound system equipments and music instruments to Gunananda Vidyalaya School and Prince College in order to support the schools’ activities. The donation ceremony, which was also graced by Venerable Waskaduwe Mahindawnsa Maha Nayaka Thero, Chief Incumbent of Dipaduttamaram Temple, was held at Dhamma Sala of Dipaduttamaram Temple, Colombo. The budget for this project was sponsored the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.

 

            Ambassador Nopporn pointed out the special linkage between Dipaduttamaram Temple, the two schools and Thailand. Prince Prisdang of Thailand, during his monkhood as Venerable Jinavaransa, was appointed as the Chief Incumbent of Dipaduttamaram Temple in 1905-1910. In 1906, Venerable Jinavaransa set up Gunananda Vidyalaya within the premises of the temple to provide basic education for the local children. Later, to commemorate his keen interest in education, Prince College was later established in the same area by the Sri Lankan authorities.

 

            The teachers and the students of Gunananda Vidyalaya and Prince College expressed their appreciation for the assistance from Thailand with a number of impressive cultural performances.