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This Thai-Malaysian monk’s journey is no different than the successful lawyer, Julian Mantle’s journey in Robin Sharma’s bestseller ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’
The only son of Malaysian billionaire Ananda Krishnan, Siripanyo has given up all of the riches of the world to become a Buddhist monk. (Image: @Ramkshrestha/X)
Years ago when he was 18, he went to Thailand to pay homage to his Thai mother’s family. He was temporarily ordained at a retreat for fun. But, little did Ven Ajahn Siripanyo know that he would denounce his father’s billions for a life of spirituality.
This Thai-Malaysian monk’s journey is no different than the successful lawyer, Julian Mantle’s journey in Robin Sharma’s bestseller The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. The only son of Malaysian billionaire Ananda Krishnan, Siripanyo has given up all of the riches of the world to become a Buddhist monk.
His father is the third richest man in his country, his worth pegged at more than US$5 billion (Rs 40,000 crore approx). His business empire spans telecommunication, satellites, media, oil, gas and real estate while he also owns Aircel, which once sponsored the renowned IPL team Chennai Super Kings led by former India skipper MS Dhoni.
According to a report in the South China Morning Post, Siripanyo had been groomed from an early age to inherit his father’s fortune. But, he chose to detach himself from worldly possessions at the age of 18, it said.
Krishnan, who is a devout Buddhist himself, respects his son’s decision. He, too, adheres to several philanthropist and charitable causes.
HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?
The South China Morning Post said Siripanyo is not merely a billionaire’s son, he also boasts of a royal bloodline. His mother, Momwajarongse Suprinda Chakraban, is a descendant of the Thai royal family, the news report said.
During a trip to his mother’s homeland, Siripanyo was temporarily ordained at a retreat for fun. But, what began as a temporary experience eventually became a permanent way of life. Twenty years down the line, he would not have it any other way. He identifies as a forest monk and resides at the Dtao Dum Monastery on the Thailand-Myanmar border.