S. Mahinda

Venerable Sikkim Mahinda Thero (Sinhala: සිකිම් මහින්ද හිමි), commonly known as S. Mahinda Thero (Sinhala: එස්‌. මහින්ද හිමි), was an Indian Buddhist monk from the state of Sikkim. He was a poet and author, and participated in the Sri Lankan independence movement. Although he was from Sikkim, he identified himself as a Tibetan, presumably because it was more well known in Ceylon (Now Sri Lanka).

S. Mahinda thero arrived in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) at a young age and was ordained as a Buddhist monk by Ven. Dodanduwa Sri Piyaratana Tissa Mahanayake Thero. Having learned the Sinhala language, he became a poet, creating several literary works inspiring patriotism among the Sinhalese and urging them to fight for their freedom during the Sri Lankan Independence movement. He is now considered a national hero of Sri Lanka and one among the greatest of Sinhalese poetry figures of all time.