| Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thero | |
| Native Name: | දරණාගම කුසලධම්ම හිමි |
| Birth Date: | 29 July 1963 |
| Birth Place: | Daranagama, Makola, Sri Lanka |
| Chief incumbent of the Colombo Sri Sambodhi Viharaya | |
| School: | Theravada |
| Religion: | Buddhism |
| Native Name Lang: | si |
| Honorific-Prefix: | Ven. |
| Dharma Names: | Ven. Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thero |
| Alma Mater: | University of Kelaniya |
Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thero (29 July 1963 - 3 March 2018) (Sinhala; Sinhalese: දරණාගම කුසලධම්ම හිමි) was a Sri Lankan Sinhalese Buddhist monk who founded the first Sri Lankan Buddhist media network and the television channel, The Buddhist.[1] He served as the chief incumbent of the Colombo Sri Sambodhi Viharaya and the Sambodhi Community Development Foundation in London. He died on 3 March 2018 at the age of 54.
Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thero was born on 29 July 1963 in Daranagama. He got the prefix name of "Daranagama" which was his birthplace. He educated at the Royal College, Colombo and received his master's degree at the University of Kelaniya.[2]
He went onto launch The Buddhist media network on 15 May 2011 with The Buddhist radio transmission. Ven. Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thero was instrumental in launching Sri Lanka's first primary Buddhist channel in January 2012 under the title The Buddhist.[3]
After suffering from illness, Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thero died on 3 March 2018 when he was 54 years old. His funeral took place at the Sports Ministry Ground at the Independence Square.[4] [5]
As a result of his death, the annual Big Match between Royal College and St. Thomas College, which is known as Royal-Thomian clash (Battle of the Blues), was postponed to 9 March 2018 as he was a past pupil of the Royal College.[6] [7]