Ven Ajahn Siripanyo has renounced a life of affluence and donned the monk’s robe. He is the son of a telecom tycoon, Anand Krishnan. The worth of his father is about 40,000 crore rupees. All that was supposed to come to Siripanyo. In its place: “He chose the simple life.”.
Anand Krishnan, popularly known as AK, runs a wide range of businesses in areas such as telecom, media, oil and gas, real estate, and satellite services. Under his brand name were firms like Aircel, which was once a sponsor of IPL Chennai Super Kings. With great business acumen and wealth, Krishnan is reputed to be one of the richest Malaysians.
A Buddhist and a social worker by nature, Anand Krishnan volunteers with donations toward the cause of education and welfare for one and all. It is reported that his son, Siripanyo, 18, decided to become a monk. Less well recorded is the detailed explanation of why. Some reports suggest that during a retreat, he actually chose to take up monkhood “for fun,” but this provisional experiment finally became permanent. Instead of inheriting billions made by his father, Siripanyo chose to beg for alms, living an austere life.
Siripanyo gave up over two decades ago the wealth that was supposed to be his through inheritance. He decided to live in the jungle as a monk. Now, he is assigned as the abbot of the Dtao Dam Monastery in Thailand. Also, it is said that through his mother, he is of royal blood from the Thai royal family as a monk.
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