On 20 June 2012 H.E. Mr. Poldej Worachat, Ambassador of Thailand to Sri Lanka, visited Dipaduttamarama Purama Thai Raja Maha Viharaya Temple which is the first Buddhist temple in Colombo. H.H. Prince Prisdang, who ordained as a Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka as Venerable Jinavaransa, was appointed as the chief incumbent of the temple during 1905-1910. “The Prince Priest” established a primary school in the temple premises named “Gunananda Vidhayalaya”.

Most Ven Waskaduwe Mahindawansa Thero, the chief incumbent of the temple, presented Ambassador Poldej with warm welcome and guided around the area.

At present, the school’s building is decadent, lacks maintenance and facility. Students of this school are from the poor family backgrounds. Therefore, to commemorate Venerable Jinavaransa and his contributions to the temple as well as the temple’s significance, the Royal Thai Embassy and the Thai community in Sri Lanka will organize activity to help improve the school’s conditions.

Moreover, Ambassador Poldej, as the representative of the Thai community in Sri Lanka, donated a sum of LKRs 25,00.- and THBs 2,500.- received from the Thai Community in Sri Lanka to Dipaduttamarama Purama Thai Raja Maha Viharaya Temple in order to be used in the temple’s maintenance and necessity.