Sreedharan Sobhana

Master Dr. Sreedharan Sobhana (1957- ) was born in 1957 (Singapore), now a proud Indian living in India for two decades. In 2007, she started a Buddhist-Hindu Temple, “Sri Dharma Bodhi Temple” in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bangalore, India. Her name is recorded in Karnataka Achievers Book of Records for being the First Indian Woman to build a Buddhist Temple with Sleeping Buddha Statue in South India.

Early Life

Being the 6th in a family of 9 children, she completed high school despite the lack of resources, and then went to work in her father’s hair salon at the age of 16. Besides learning the ropes to the hairdressing trade, she also ventured into the electronic manufacturing industry. She was a Production Technician in an American company General Motors (GM). Armed with the experiences from GM, she entered Baxter Healthcare as a Production Inspection Specialist, overseeing Quality Control for Healthcare Products. She then moved on to American Hospital, now known as East Shore Hospital and along the way had an arranged marriage in 1980, all in Singapore.

In 1988 she began practicing Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism until 1993. In 1989, she gave birth to her daughter, in American Hospital, Singapore, where she was working. Complications arose during her birth due to the negligence of the doctors, causing Brain Damage to her child, which led her to leave her work and passion for the betterment of her daughter’s health. She filed a case against the doctors who were responsible for her daughter’s condition. After battling the case for 6 long years, she won the court case. She tried various methods to assist her daughter including Aromatherapy and Herbal treatments. She accepted full responsibility for her daughter’s care and finances. When her daughter started school, she witnessed the pains of the other parents. She took the responsibility of trimming the hair of these special children. These special children with the same special needs as her child often refuse to be cleaned up by strangers. So, she spoke to them, chatted and chatted, and won their trust over. Every hair trimming session gave her joy and these children love. Even their parents felt gratitude and love that some people in the society do respect and love their children.

Since 1995, she has been in and out of India and then finally settled down in India, deciding to get back to her roots. By mid-2002, she moved back to India, built a house, and made use of her early training in hair trimming to manage veggies, rice and other medical expenses for herself and her daughter. Since she is an Aromatherapist, she was able to take care of the Old age & Construction workers of Sai Lotus layout, Channasandra, Bangalore. She was also involved in social & charity work, taking care of the society.

Buddhist Temple

After a few years of her stay in India, she had a dream from the Buddha. In the dream, the Buddha conveyed to her to spread his teachings and assist others out of suffering. Thus, in 2007, in Bangalore, India, Master Dr. Sreedharan Sobhana established a humble Buddhist-Hindu temple, Sri Dharma Bodhi Temple, and started People’s Buddhism.

In 2012, she also preached the Bhutanese nursing students who were away from home. Master Dr. Sobhana brings a fresh approach to Buddhism, including meditation, offering prayers for flood & rape victims, offerings for the departed souls, chanting, Spiritual counsel, donating free Dharma books, free food offerings, free Medical & Dental camps, detoxification camp, Reiki healing camp, Iridology, Allopathy & Aromatherapy camps, sports day, Buddhist music, Buddhist dance, art, sky watching & hair trimming for children, Aromatherapy massage for special needs children, donations to children in orphanages, the celebration of Buddhist festivals, Independence Day & Lantern/ Moon cake festival, Storytelling sessions for children, Rangoli and Sewing classes for women.

From achieving self-realization to helping others by being a Spiritual Healer, Buddhism has been a way of life for Master Dr.Sobhana. By overcoming some of the hardest challenges in life and relentlessly pursuing her source of truth, hope and strength gained from Buddhism, she has always been praised for overcoming adversity to become a benefactor to others.

The beginning was extremely tough. Many people did not take Buddha seriously. They insisted that he was but a man like we all are. However, she never stopped. She continued conveying His teachings to the masses who chose to have faith, who chose to open their minds. And these people have shared their experiences with their family and friends and have spread Buddhism so much that they too started to have faith.

In 2013, Master Dr. Sobhana’s life story aired on TV9, and she has twice received honorary doctoral degrees, as well as numerous honours and awards. Her mission in this life is “To assist as many as possible to walk Buddha's path, to alleviate all suffering. With the increasing number of people finding meaning in life, and as they slowly come out of their own suffering and even helping others to come out of theirs, I find more will in helping more.”

Honors and Awards

• Year Name Awarding organization
• 2017 G.E.M (Going Extra Miles) Award Sri Adhi Shakthi Mulkatamma Temple Trust
• 2018 Honorary Doctorate in “SPIRITULITY – BUDDHISM (Honoris Causa)” with Specialization in “SOCIAL ACTION & PEOPLES’ CONCERN” Indian Virtual Academy for Peace and Education, now known as Global Virtual Academy for Peace and Education
• 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award Indian Virtual Academy for Peace and Education, now known as Global Virtual Academy for Peace and Education
• 2018 Mother Teresa Stree Ratna National Award Krist Foundation
• 2018 Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) California Public University
• 2019 Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award International Women’s Meditation Center Foundation
• 2019 Achievers' Award Raja Rajeshwari Nagar
• 2019 South Indian Women Achievers Award (SIWAA) Syrafills Media and Research Pvt. Ltd, now called Twell Media Pvt Ltd.
• 2020 Seva Ratna Raja Rajeshwari Nagar Sports and Cultural Association
• 2021 Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Lifetime Achievement National Award National Institute for Socio Economic Development ®
• 2021 World Record for being First Indian Woman to build a Buddhist Temple with SLEEPING BUDDHA statue in South India Karnataka Achievers Book of Records
• 2022 Rajarajeshwari Ratna Award Rajarajeshwari Nagara Vidhanasabha Kshetra ®
• 2022 Bengaluru Women Achievers Award 2022 BPAC and BCLIP Association®

External links

• International Women’s Meditation Center Foundation
• Karnataka Achievers Book of Records
• World Book of Records
• YouTube video about her life
• Master Dr.Sobhana at Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award ceremony (13m 14s to 13m 35s , 34m 29s to 34m 46s)
• Master Dr.Sobhana’s Biography (39m 20s to 43m 37s)
• Master Dr.Sobhana's article in Twell Magazine