About

Venerable Makola Nanda (also known as Bhante Nanda) is the Spiritual Director of the Alberta Insight Meditation Centre. He was born in 1985 in the village of Makola, located in the Gampaha District of Sri Lanka’s Western Province. At the age of 19, Bhante Nanda entered the Buddhist monastic order as a novice (sāmaṇera) in 2004, and in 2006 he received his Higher Ordination (Upasampadā) at the Kanduboda Siyane International Insight Meditation Centre in Sri Lanka.

Bhante Nanda’s preceptor is the Most Venerable Maha Kammatthanacharya Inguruwatte Piyananda Maha Thero, the Mahā Nāyaka of the Sri Lanka Sāgini Sect. His principal meditation teachers include the Most Venerable Gampaha Pemasiri Maha Thero, founder of the Sumatipala Nahimi Senāsana Āranya in Kanduboda, Sri Lanka, and the Venerable Kammatthanacharya Madawala Upāli Maha Thero, founder of the Rathmalkanda Meditation Centre in Kithal Ella, Ella, Sri Lanka.

In 2009, Bhante Nanda earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Buddhist Philosophy from the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, a leading Asian institution for Buddhist studies. Prior to coming to Canada, he served for two years at the Daham Nikethanaya in Victoria, Australia.

Reverend Welimada Damitha (known as Bhante Damitha) was born in 1989 in the village of Alawathugoda, located in the Welimada area of the Badulla District in Sri Lanka. After completing his secondary education, he chose to pursue the monastic life. With the permission of his parents, he selected Kanduboda Sumatipala Nahimi Senāsana Āranya, a meditation centre in Sri Lanka, as his place of residence and training.

Following foundational monastic training, Bhante Damitha ordained as a novice (sāmaṇera) in 2010 under the guidance of the Venerable Gampaha Pemasiri Maha Thero, the meditation master of the monastery. Under his preceptor’s direction, he completed the full course of training required of an ordained Buddhist monk.

Bhante Damitha is a well-trained monk capable of conducting a wide range of Buddhist practices and activities. He has guided and supported many individuals on the path of the Buddha and has shared his knowledge through visits to several Asian countries. In recognition of his experience and abilities, the Alberta Buddhist Vihara Association invited him to serve as a resident monk at the Alberta Insight Meditation Centre in 2018. Bhante Damitha kindly accepted this invitation and currently resides at the AIM Centre, where he continues to support the congregation.

Venerable Kotawaye Suseela (also known as Bhante Suseela) was born in 1982 in Kotawaya village in the Hambantota District of southern Sri Lanka. At age 13, he renounced home and was ordained as a novice in 1995 at Jayasumanarama Maha Viharaya in Hakmana.  Ven. Kotawaye Suseema and Ven. Diviyagaha Gnanananda are his preceptors (teachers).  In 2002 he was ordained as Bhikkhu (higher ordained monk).

After completing his basic education, from 2001 he began some social activities with his fellows in Hakmana. He led the society for help to people in poverty. For the sustainability of his social activities he established an organization known as “Dahamdeepa Foundation (DDF)”. During this period they performed numerous dedications for society. 

After dedicating himself for several years, Bhante moved to Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka, in 2005, and continued further education. While he was in Colombo, he met a great meditation master and started to practice meditation. As a result of long term practice of meditation he was invited to a temple in Cyprus in Europe, Sri Lankaramaya.  In 2009 Bhante moved to Cyprus and conducted meditation programs as well as other religious activities.

In 2012, Bhante was invited by a Buddhist organization in Minnesota in the United States of America. He spent a few years with the American Buddhist community in Minnesota and performed services for the Buddhist community of Tennessee as well. Bhante Suseela was invited to the Alberta Buddhist Vihara Association by Bhante Nanda and he served as ABVA's Spiritual Director from 2017 to 2025.