Son of Malaysian Billionaire Renounces $5 Billion Fortune for Monastic Life

Ajahn Siripanyo, son of telecom tycoon Ananda Krishnan, chose a life of Buddhist monkhood at 18, leaving behind immense wealth and privilege.

Ananda Krishnan, Malaysia's third-richest man with a net worth exceeding $5 billion, is a prominent businessman and philanthropist with ventures in telecom, media, oil, and real estate.
His son, Ajahn Siripanyo, renounced his inheritance and embraced Buddhist monkhood at the age of 18 after a transformative retreat in Thailand.
Siripanyo, now a forest monk and abbot of the Dtao Dum Monastery on the Thailand-Myanmar border, leads a life of simplicity and spiritual devotion.
Raised in the UK with a multicultural background, Siripanyo reportedly speaks up to eight languages and maintains family ties, occasionally visiting his father.
Krishnan, a devout Buddhist himself, respects his son's decision, which reflects a deep commitment to spiritual values over material wealth.