Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero ( si, පූජ්‍ය ගලගොඩඅත්තේ ඥානසාර හිමි) is the Secretary General of

Bodu Bala Sena Bodu Bala Sena, (, abbreviated BBS) is a Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist and extreme nationalist organisation, which is a break-away organisation from the right-wing nationalist Jathika Hela Urumaya organisation. The BBS generally opposes plur ...

, a Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist organisation. He was born in Galagodaaththa in the southern district of

Galle Galle ( si, ගාල්ල, translit=Gālla; ta, காலி, translit=Kāli) (formerly Point de Galle) is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the southwestern tip, from Colombo. Galle is the provincial capital and largest city of Souther ...

. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero was educated at Wathuravila Aranya Senasanaya in Galle, before moving to Sarananda Piriwena in

Anuradhapura Anuradhapura ( si, අනුරාධපුරය, translit=Anurādhapuraya; ta, அனுராதபுரம், translit=Aṉurātapuram) is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central ...

and

Vidyodaya University Vidyodaya School is a private college-preparatory combined-grades school located in Thevakkal, Kochi, India. It provides comprehensive school education from lower primary to grade 12. About Established in 1990-91 the school conducts classes fr ...

Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...

. He studied Buddhism (BA, MBA) at Kelaniya University. He worked as a principal at Kalapaluwaw Piriwena. In June 2017, the Police Organized Crimes Prevention Division arrested Gnanasara Thero on allegations of obstructing a police officer in

Welikada Welikada is a suburb in Colombo, Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Demo ...

, following a multi-week manhunt. He was arrested after appearing at a police station to give a statement, and later released on bail. Gnanasara Thero was convicted of being in contempt of court, but was released on 23 May 2019 after having been given a Presidential pardon. He is currently the Chairman of Presidential Task Force.

References

Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Sri Lankan Buddhist monks {{SriLanka-bio-stub