Pioneering Peace, Cultural and Humanitarian Achievements of Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena
                                    
                                
                                
                                 
- 1986Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena founded the Mahabodhi International Meditation  Centre (MIMC) in Leh, Ladakh.
 
- 1991Established the Mahabodhi Devachan campus on 200 acres of barren and isolated  land in Choglamsar, approximately 10 kilometres away from Leh town.
 
- 1991Established the Mahabodhi Girls Hostel, a pioneering project providing holistic  education and a safe home environment for under-privileged girls from remote  homesteads scattered across Ladakh.
 
- 1992Established the Mahabodhi Residential School, dedicated to providing high  quality holistic education aimed at eradicating illiteracy and poverty across  the region. This school is now providing High School level education to some  600 students.
 
- 1992Established the Mahabodhi Meditation Centre, dedicated to promoting physical  and mental well-being, social harmony and world peace.
 
- 1992Established the Mahabodhi Charitable Hospital - the first non-governmental  hospital in Ladakh - dedicated to providing healthcare and support for  under-privileged patients through a purpose-built and well-equipped 50 bed  hospital.
 
- 1992Started the Mahabodhi Green Project, under which tens of thousands of trees  have been planted on the once barren and isolated land at Mahabodhi Devachan.
 
- 1993Established the Mahabodhi Mobile Health Clinic, dedicated to providing  regular healthcare and dental visits for communities in remote and previously  inaccessible areas.
 
- 1995Hosted the International Sakyadhita Conference on Buddhist Women in Ladakh.  Gyalmo Deskit (Her Highness the Queen of Ladakh) and His Holiness the Drikung  Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche (Supreme Head of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan  Buddhism) were the principal guests. Many eminent Buddhist women, nuns, teachers,  leaders and thinkers of different Buddhist traditions and sects from all over  the world participated in this historic gathering. This conference was of great  significance in working toward improving the education, life standards and  status, and general recognition of the Bhikkhuni ordination of nuns and women  in Ladakh.
 
- 1996With the generous support of friends and well-wishers from Taiwan, organised  a grand Sangha Dana - offering the monastic requisites to some 6,000 monks and  nuns from across Ladakh. This offering was the first of its kind in Ladakh. His  Holiness the Sakya Trizin Rinpoche  (Supreme Head of the Sakya Lineage of  Tibetan Buddhism), all the Supreme Heads of the different Buddhist sects of  Ladakh, the President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, the President of the  Ladakh Monastery (Gompa) Association, and the Chief Executive Councillor of the  Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) were present, as well as  many other local and international dignitaries.
 
- 1996Established the Mahabodhi Boys Hostel, dedicated to providing holistic  education and a safe home environment for under-privileged boys from remote  homesteads scattered across Ladakh. At present, there are some 150 boys living  in this hostel.
 
- 1996Established the Mahabodhi New Delhi Branch.
 
- 1997Established the Mahabodhi Nunnery, a truly pioneering project dedicated to  providing a fully integrated and holistic education for young nuns.
 
- July 1998In collaboration with the International Association for Religious Freedom  (IARF), based in the UK, organized a 3-day international conference for young  adults of different faiths to promote inter-religious harmony, peaceful  co-existence and brotherhood. Many delegates, drawn from different parts of  India and overseas, participated in this important conference. All the  religious heads of the various denominations of Ladakh attended and  participated in the event. Dr. Karan Singh (Chairman of the Foreign Affairs  Department and India’s  Ambassador to UNESCO)  was the chief guest. The participants visited various religious places (a  Buddhist temple, a mosque, a church and a Gurudwara) in Ladakh, with the  intention of building greater understanding and mutual trust between the  participants.
 
- 1999Founded  the Mahabodhi Branch School in Tingmosgang village, dedicated to providing  high-quality holistic education to students in this remote rural location,  where at present some 150 students attend each day.
 
- Since 2001 scores of Mahabodhi Residential School graduates have travelled to Bangalore, 
 
                                    
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                    
South India to pursue their higher education studies with the ongoing encouragement and support of the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre.
                                    
                                
                                
                                
- 2002Constituted the "Acharya Buddharakkhita Humanitarian Award" - awarded to those  noble citizens, whose service to the poorest and most marginalized communities  warrants both praise and recognition. The late Kushok Bakula Rinpoche (Head  Lama of Ladakh), Shri. Thupstan Tsewang (Former Honourable Member of Parliament  for Ladakh), Shri. B.K. Modi (Chairman and Founder of Spice Global India) &  Lamdon Social Welfare, Leh are amongst the list of award recipients.
 
- 2003Established the Mahabodhi Home for the Aged and Destitute, a pioneering project  dedicated to providing a safe residential home, personal and social care, and  respect for the most vulnerable members of Ladakhi society.
 
- 2004Established the Mahabodhi Jetavana Monastery, dedicated to providing both  traditional spiritual and modern-based education to young monks.
 
- Since  1996Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena has been an active member of the International Association for Religious  Freedom (IARF) and the International Association of Liberal Religious  Women(IALRW), actively participating in their conferences in Italy, Hungary,  South Korea and various parts of India. Besides this, he has also organised  various interfaith meetings, seminars and dialogues aimed at promoting greater  understanding and peace throughout the region.
 
- 2005Organised an international Grand Buddha Jayanti Celebration to commemorate  the 2550th Buddha's birthday, at which Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (His  Excellency the then President of India), Lt Gen. S.K. Sinha (the then  Honourable Governor of Jammu & Kashmir), Shri. Ghulam Nabi Azad (the then  Honourable Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir) were present. Many eminent  dignitaries from different countries, as well as monks and nuns, participated  in this week long celebration. Street campaigns advocating the eradication of  animal abuse, alcohol, cigarette smoking and the taking of other intoxicating  materials were organised. In addition, a large-scale peace march was organised.
 
- 2005Established the Mahabodhi Elder Women's Literacy Programme, dedicated to  providing basic education and empowerment for elderly women across the Ladakh  region.
 
- 2005Established the first school and hostel for blind and visually-impaired  students in Ladakh, which was inaugurated by His Excellency Dr. A.P.J. Abdul  Kalam (the then President of India), in the presence of His Excellency the  Governor and the Honourable Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
 
- 2006Established the Mahabodhi Branch School in Bodhkharbu, dedicated to providing  high quality holistic education for students living in this remote and  under-developed village in the Kargil district of Ladakh.
 
- 2007Established the Mahabodhi Vocational Training Programme, a pioneering project  dedicated to providing a practical vocational platform for school drop-outs,  enabling them to develop and exhibit their talents in music, traditional  woodcarving and painting, as well as providing them with a vital means of  generating income.
 
- 2008Established the Mahabodhi Branch in Jammu district, dedicated to fostering and  promoting social and mental harmony, as well as world peace.
 
- September  2008Organised a 5-day international youth Sangha conference in association  with the World Buddhist Sangha Council, whereupon representatives of the  Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist traditions from different countries, including  Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and India, came together in order to promote  greater understanding, universal brotherhood and world peace.
 - 2010In collaboration with the Museum of World Religions, based in Taiwan,  organised a 3-day International Buddhist Muslim Dialogue Conference in order to  promote greater peace, harmony and friendship between the two most populous  religions of Ladakh. His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa Rinpoche (Supreme Head of  the Drukpa Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism), Shri. Nawang Rigzen Jora (Honourable  Minister for Tourism and Culture, Jammu & Kashmir), Maulana Umair Ahmed  Ilyasi, President, (All India Organisations of Imams of Mosques, New Delhi,) the  President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, the President of Anjuman Imamia,  Leh, President Moin - ul- Islam, Leh, Shri. Asgar Ali Karbalai (Former Chief  Executive Councillor, Kargil, LAHDC) and many other important dignitaries from  the United States, Germany, Malaysia, Taiwan, France, Sri Lanka and India  participated in this historic event. The students of various schools actively  participated in this dialogue. Following this, all the participants visited and  paid obeisance at the Leh Main Buddhist Temple, Leh Jamia Masjid, Leh Imambara  and Imambara at Shey village.
 
- 2010Established the Mahabodhi Meditation Centre Branch in Chandigarh, dedicated to  promoting social and mental harmony, and world peace.
 
- 2010Established the Mahabodhi Girls Hostel in Chandigarh, wherein 100 female students  can be accommodated in a safe home environment where they can concentrate on  their higher education studies.
 
								
                                    
Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena has distinguished himself as both a charismatic and highly energetic social and spiritual worker over the years. 
                                    He has also received several awards and certificates fro
                                    
                                
                                
                                
- In public recognition of his selfless service to society, the  Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, presented him  with the "National Award for the Welfare of People with Disabilities" in 2000. 
 
- The Gandhi Peace Foundation, India, honoured him with its  prestigious "World Peace Award for the Year 2004" in recognition of his work  for world peace, interfaith service and inter-religious harmony. 
 
- In 1999, his name was included in the prestigious book "Marquis'  Who's Who". "Marquis' Who's Who" believes men and women around the globe whose  achievements influence people of today are worthy of permanent record. 
 
- The American Biographical Institute recognised Venerable Bhikkhu  Sanghasena as its "Man of the Year 2002". 
 
- He was nominated as the Chancellor of the International Association  of Educators for World Peace (IAEWP), based in Huntsville, USA, for the Jammu  and Kashmir State Chapter, India. 
 
- On the occasion of the United Nations "World Environment Day, Third  World Congress", which was held in Verbania, Italy, in 2005, the "Peace  Environment Award" was presented to Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena in recognition  of his invaluable contribution to a "culture of peace through education and  international friendship". 
 
- The International Centre for Advanced Studies and Research in Global  Environment and International Institute of Ecology and Environment, Delhi has  also appointed Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena as their Global Ambassador and  Regional Director. 
 
- The Ladakh Buddhist Association presented the "Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhim  Rao Ambedkar Award 2009" to Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena in recognition of his  invaluable humanitarian and benevolent service to the needy people of Ladakh. 
 
- The Ashwagosha Buddhist Foundation, based in Nagpur, India,  presented the "Sakyamuni Buddha International Award 2009" to Venerable Bhikkhu  Sanghasena. 
 
- The Dharma Buddhist University of Malaysia conferred their Honourary  Degree of the Doctorate of Philosophy to Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena in 2009. 
 
- More recently, on the occasion of the "World Management Congress",  Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena was awarded with the "Lifetime Achievement Award"  in the area of spirituality and religious studies, which was jointly  constituted and awarded by the International Association of Educators for World  Peace (IAEWP) (affiliated to the United Nations), based in the USA, the Global  Open University Nagaland, Confederation of Indian Universities, the Educational  Standards and Testing Council of India at the India International Centre, New  Delhi on 30th -31st Dec, 2010.
 
For the past 25  years Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena has travelled extensively, visiting many  countries around the world, to share the Buddha-dhamma through numerous  international conferences, seminars and workshops. In particular, he has made  many regular visits to the USA, Canada, Brazil, Australia, the UK, Germany,  Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy, Israel, Japan,  South Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia,  Thailand, Myanmar and several parts of India.
Wherever he  goes, and whomever he meets, Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena urges all to promote  cultural and spiritual values, literacy, environmental protection,  non-violence, inter-religious harmony and peaceful co-existence, the concept of  a single global village and world peace. He actively supports the elevation of  the status of women, the provision of compassionate care and support for  poverty-stricken people, and raises his voice against destructive armaments,  degradation of the environment and ecology, human injustice, consumerism,  economic imbalance and racism.
   
                       
                            
Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena has devoted his adult life to the service of mankind through a number of national and international organisations, holding the following positions:
                            
                        
                        
                             
                            -  Founder/President, Mahabodhi  International Meditation Centre (MIMC), Leh, Ladakh, India
 
                            -  Former Council Member,  International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF), UK
 
                            -  Chairman, United Religious  Initiative, Ladakh Branch
 
                            -  President, International  Association for Religious Freedom, Ladakh Chapter
 
                            -  Member of the Board of Directors, Buddha's Light International Association  (BLIA), Los Angeles, USA & Taiwan
 
                            -  Former Vice President, World  Fellowship of Buddhist Youth, Bangkok, Thailand
 
                            -  Advisor, International  Association for Engaged Buddhists (INEB), Thailand
 
                            -  Executive Member, World  Buddhist Sangha Council, Taipei, Taiwan
 
                            -  Chancellor, International  Association of Educators for World Peace (IAEWP), Huntsville, USA, Jammu and  Kashmir State Chapter, India
 
                            -  Governing Body Member, Nava  Nalanda Deem University, Bihar, India
 
                            -  Patron, Kampus OnlineTM  IGNOU Virtual Community College, New Delhi, India