Dr. Ottara Nyana is the present head of the Birmingham Buddhist Vihara. He was
born in Myanmar in 1949. He has studied Theravada Buddhism since childhood under
several eminent scholarly monks. He passed the higher examination in spiritual studies
and was awarded the prestigious titles of Sasanadhaja Dhammacariya (1971) and
Sasanadhaja Siripavara-Dhammacariya (1973). He got his B.A. from Yangon University
(1986).
In 1992, he went to India for further study and he obtained M.A (1994), M.Phil
and Tibetan Diploma (1995), PhD. (Samgha and Royalty, 1998) Degrees from Delhi
University in India.
He stayed at Mahasi Meditation Centre in Yangon for three years (1984-1986).
He worked in the State Pariyatti Sasana University in Mandalay from 1986 to 1992 as
Registrar, Professor of Myanmar Literature and Secretary of the Administration and
Academic Board. In 1999 he worked in the Theravada Buddhist Missionary University
in Yangon as Dean of the Meditation (Patipatti) Faculty and Secretary of the Text Book
Committee until 2003.
The Myanmar government conferred on him the religious titles Mahaganthavacaka
Pandita (1992), Aggamahaganthavacaka Pandita (2002) and Aggamaha Pandita (2011)
for his academic activities.
He now teaches Majjhimanikaya, Pali grammar, Abhidhamma and Vipassana meditation in
Birmingham Buddhist Academy in United Kingdom. The academic board of International Theravada
Buddhist Missionary University (ITBMU) has unanimously decided to grant “An Autonomous Branch
of ITBMU” to Birmingham Buddhist Academy formally opened and established in July 2013 in
Birmingham, United Kingdom.
