Gangodawila Soma Thero was a Buddhist monk attached to Siri Vajiragnana Dharmayathanaya, Maharagama. Sri Lanka. Ven. Soma thero followed the example set by his teacher, Most Ven. Madihe Pannaseeha thero and served the Buddha Dhamma and the Sinhala Buddhists both as a learned monk and as a social reformer.

Venerable Gangodawila Soma Thera was born in Gangodawila, a semi-urban locality in the outskirts of the capital city of Colombo.

Soma Thera was ordained as novice in 1974 when he was 26 years of age under the tutelage of two of the most revered monks in Sri Lanka – Most Reverend Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Maha Nayake Thera and Venerable Ampitiye Rahula Maha Thera. He received training at the Bhikkhu Training Centre, Maharagama – an institution established by the monks mentioned above.