Guest Lecture on ‘The Return of Diyasena Kumara’ Held at the University of Kelaniya

A guest lecture, organized by the Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, was held on Wednesday, 17 December 2025, at the Department premises. The lecture titled ‘The Return of Diyasena Kumara: Buddhist Millennialism and Political Prophecy in Sri Lanka,’ was delivered by Dr Justin Henry, Bhagwan Padma Prabhu Endowed Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies of the University of South Florida.

Dr Henry holds a PhD in the History of Religions from the University of Chicago Divinity School, where his research focused on the religious traditions of South Asia. His scholarship demonstrates strong linguistic and historical depth, engaging sources in Sanskrit, Pali, Sinhala, and Tamil, with particular emphasis on Sri Lanka and South India. His teaching experience spans a range of subjects, including Buddhist and Jain philosophy and literature, Hinduism, Religion and Wealth, New Religious Movements, and The God Debate. His academic work reflects a sustained engagement with the role of religious traditions in shaping ethical life, social values, and cultural history

The lecture was attended by the academic staff members and the students of the Department of Linguistics and other Departments.