Lumbini, Sep. 28, 2018: Senior Floriculturist Sabbir Ahmed Khan of Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) has been awarded Lumbini Mayadevi Temple Bodhi Tree Preservation Prize. The Pipal Tree of Mayadevi Temple in Lumbini was uprooted during restoration of old Mayadevi Temple in 1994. The Bodhi Tree was removed from the temple as its roots were causing considerable amount of damage to the remains of ancient Mayadevi Temple structure. Removal of the Bodhi Tree was urgent to safeguard more than two thousand and five hundred years old archaeological structures directly associated with the life of Sakyamuni Buddha. But LDT realized the importance of saving the tree as the it was grown in the holy birthplace of the Buddha and was very much attached with devotional sentiment of Buddhists world over. 

A seven-member team of LDT Botanical Section that included Section Chief Sabbir Ahmed Khan, J.T. Abdul Rahaman Khan, Head Gardener Gayasuddin Musalman, Gardeners: Abdul Hai, Sripath Kurmi, Bhagirathi Pasi and Ram Kumer Pasi prepared several branch cuttings and later many saplings were developed with the help of tissue culture technology out of those cuttings. The saplings of Lumbini Bodhi Tree were distributed to different Buddhist nations. 

Lumbini Peace Marathon Event awarded the prize to Senior Floriculturist Khan in recognition of his and his team’s tireless efforts in protecting Mayadevi Temple Bodhi Tree in Kathmandu yesterday on the occasion of World Tourism Day 2018 amid a formal program. Mr. Khan shared his joy and credited to entire LDT family and especially to his team members who prepared saplings out of the Budhi tree for the award.