Nalanda College
Encyclopedia
Nalanda College (Sinhala
:නාලන්දා මහා විද්යාලය, කොළඹ) is a Buddhist
school in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The college was established by P. de S. Kularatne as an offshoot of Ananda College
Colombo on November 1, 1925.
Colombo.
As a result of this demand, in 1923 the then principal of Ananda College P. de S. Kularatne
leased land adjoining to Ananda College playground located in Campbell Place and made use of huts to overcome this capacity problemh.
This wing of the college was was run by E. W. Perera
and the then director of education Mr Robinson approved as it as a separate institution.
Later Mr Kularatne bought further lands close by and built up a new building comprising 16 class rooms; out of that two were used as laboratories and two others as the staff room and the principal's office. E. W Perera was appointed the head master and Balangoda Ananda Maitreya became the first Dharmarcharya.
It was the on the 39th anniversary of Ananda College on 1 November 1925 that it was registered as a separate school. L.H. Meththananda became the first principal of Nalanda. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya was allotted the task of finding a name and a motto for this new school named it 'Nalanda' and 'Apadana Sobhini Panna' meaning 'character illuminates wisdom' was chosen as the motto.
Mr Kularatne chose 330 best students of Ananda to be the first batch of students that were sent to Nalanda for both senior and junior schools . In 1926 this infant school was put in the care of Professor Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera
and further buildings were constructed specially with loaned money from Anagarika Dharmapala
. The College student assembly hall is named Malalasekara Theatre after him.
Nalandians have excelled academically, achieving high grades at Ordinary Level
and Advanced Level
exams and also in sports.
The main medium of education at Nalanda is Sinhalese while students have the option to select English medium, only from year seven onwards.
Present Nalandian Students have excelled again in 2011 by winning the First Place in the world for Oracle Thinkquest
Application Development Competition USA and First place for International Students Bio Technology Competition held in Lucknow, India.
who was the Principal of Nalanda in 1926. It was declared opened on the 23rd June 1990 by the then Minster of Education and Higher Education, Lalith Athulathmudali
.
The Malalasekara Theatre, cynosure of Nalanda College was badly damaged by a fire caused by electrical defect on 7th April in 2006.
Later it was refurbished and redesigned the interior in such a way to provide facilities for a multi functional performing arts complex.
The Nalanda Keerthi Sri is an award aimed at felicitating and recognising alumni of Nalanda College Colombo who have excelled in their respective field of expertise or profession and thereby contribute to the legacy of Nalanda College Colombo and enhancing the morale of its students. A pioneer project by Nalanda College Old Scouts’ Association, the “Nalanda Keerthi Sri” was commenced in 2003, has felicitated several prominent figures since its conception. At the first “Nalanda Keerthi Sri” Award ceremony held in 2003. Following are the “Nalanda Keerthi Sri” award recipients:
Past students who have studied at Nalanda College Colombo are referred to as Old Nalandians.
Ananda - Nalanda (Ananda versus Nalanda cricket match) is played between Ananda College
, Colombo and Nalanda College Colombo since 1924. Over the years Nalanda College has produced many world famous cricketers. Sri Lanka's first test captain was a Nalandian Bandula Warnapura
and 1996 world champion team was led by Anandian Arjuna Ranatunga
. Sri Lanka team that entered finals in 2007 were led by Nalandian Mahela Jayawardena. It was an Old Nalandian Karunaratne Abeysekera
who made history in the world of Radio broadcasting by being the first cricket commentator using the Sinhala language. Nalandians Roshan Mahanama
is an Elite Panel Referee of International Cricket Council
and Kumar Dharmasena
International Cricket Council
Umpire.
Sinhala
Sinhala , also known as Helabasa, is the mother tongue of the Sinhalese people, who make up the largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka, numbering about 15 million. Sinhala is also spoken by other ethnic groups in Sri Lanka, totalling about 3 million...
:නාලන්දා මහා විද්යාලය, කොළඹ) is a Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
school in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The college was established by P. de S. Kularatne as an offshoot of Ananda College
Ananda College
Ananda College , Colombo which is considered as the leading National school in Sri Lanka, was established on November 1, 1886, by the Buddhist Theosophical Society led by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott...
Colombo on November 1, 1925.
History
The college was formed in 1925 due to the high demand places at Ananda CollegeAnanda College
Ananda College , Colombo which is considered as the leading National school in Sri Lanka, was established on November 1, 1886, by the Buddhist Theosophical Society led by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott...
Colombo.
As a result of this demand, in 1923 the then principal of Ananda College P. de S. Kularatne
P. de S. Kularatne
Patrick de Silva Kularatne was a educationist and politician of Sri Lanka. He established Nalanda College, Ananda Balika, Moratuwa Vidyalaya and Pannipitiya Vidyalaya...
leased land adjoining to Ananda College playground located in Campbell Place and made use of huts to overcome this capacity problemh.
This wing of the college was was run by E. W. Perera
E. W. Perera
Edward Walter Perera was a Ceylonese barrister, politician and freedom fighter. He was known as the 'Lion of Kotte' and was a prominent figure in the Sri Lankan independence movement and a Senator....
and the then director of education Mr Robinson approved as it as a separate institution.
Later Mr Kularatne bought further lands close by and built up a new building comprising 16 class rooms; out of that two were used as laboratories and two others as the staff room and the principal's office. E. W Perera was appointed the head master and Balangoda Ananda Maitreya became the first Dharmarcharya.
It was the on the 39th anniversary of Ananda College on 1 November 1925 that it was registered as a separate school. L.H. Meththananda became the first principal of Nalanda. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya was allotted the task of finding a name and a motto for this new school named it 'Nalanda' and 'Apadana Sobhini Panna' meaning 'character illuminates wisdom' was chosen as the motto.
Mr Kularatne chose 330 best students of Ananda to be the first batch of students that were sent to Nalanda for both senior and junior schools . In 1926 this infant school was put in the care of Professor Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera
Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera
Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera was a Sri Lankan professor, scholar and diplomat. He was the first Ceylon Ambassador to the Soviet Union,Ceylon High Commissioner in Canada, Ceylon High Commissioner to United Kingdom and Ceylon Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.-Early life...
and further buildings were constructed specially with loaned money from Anagarika Dharmapala
Anagarika Dharmapala
Anagarika Dharmapala was a leading figure of Buddhism in the twentieth century. He was one of the founding contributors of Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalism and Protestant Buddhism...
. The College student assembly hall is named Malalasekara Theatre after him.
Nalandians have excelled academically, achieving high grades at Ordinary Level
Ordinary Level
The O-level is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education . It was introduced as part of British educational reform in the 1950s alongside the more in-depth and academically rigorous Advanced Level in England, Wales and Northern Ireland A-level...
and Advanced Level
Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
exams and also in sports.
The main medium of education at Nalanda is Sinhalese while students have the option to select English medium, only from year seven onwards.
Present Nalandian Students have excelled again in 2011 by winning the First Place in the world for Oracle Thinkquest
Oracle Thinkquest
Oracle ThinkQuest is an online learning platform that helps students develop important 21st-century skills, including communication, critical thinking, and technology skills....
Application Development Competition USA and First place for International Students Bio Technology Competition held in Lucknow, India.
Nalanda College Today
Malalasekara Theatre
Malalasekara Theatre of Nalanda College Colombo was named in memory of late Professor Gunapala MalalasekeraGunapala Piyasena Malalasekera
Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera was a Sri Lankan professor, scholar and diplomat. He was the first Ceylon Ambassador to the Soviet Union,Ceylon High Commissioner in Canada, Ceylon High Commissioner to United Kingdom and Ceylon Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.-Early life...
who was the Principal of Nalanda in 1926. It was declared opened on the 23rd June 1990 by the then Minster of Education and Higher Education, Lalith Athulathmudali
Lalith Athulathmudali
Lalith William Samarasekera Athulathmudali , PC was a Sri Lankan politician of the United National Party and former Cabinet Minister of Trade, National Security, Agriculture, Education and deputy minister of defence.-Early life and teaching career:Born to a family of Lawyers, his...
.
The Malalasekara Theatre, cynosure of Nalanda College was badly damaged by a fire caused by electrical defect on 7th April in 2006.
Later it was refurbished and redesigned the interior in such a way to provide facilities for a multi functional performing arts complex.
Nalanda Keerthi Sri Awards
Dr. Jayaweerage Samantha was the founder of the “Nalanda Keerthi Sri Award Festival”. As the media Secretary of the Nalanda College Old Scouts’ Association (2003–2004), Samantha proposed to the committee about his new project “Nalanda Keerthi Sri Award Festival” and organised the first “Nalanda Keerthi Sri Award Festival” as a chief organiser on the 27th September 2003.The Nalanda Keerthi Sri is an award aimed at felicitating and recognising alumni of Nalanda College Colombo who have excelled in their respective field of expertise or profession and thereby contribute to the legacy of Nalanda College Colombo and enhancing the morale of its students. A pioneer project by Nalanda College Old Scouts’ Association, the “Nalanda Keerthi Sri” was commenced in 2003, has felicitated several prominent figures since its conception. At the first “Nalanda Keerthi Sri” Award ceremony held in 2003. Following are the “Nalanda Keerthi Sri” award recipients:
- Kala Keerthi Dr Henry JayasenaHenry JayasenaHenry Jayasena born in Bendiyamulla, Gampaha is a Sri Lankan actor and dramatist.-Early Life:Jayasena studied at the Gampaha branch of Lorenz College and at Nalanda College Colombo. Some of Jayasena's notable classmates at Nalanda College were Karunaratne Abeysekera, Dr Harischandra Wijayatunga,...
- playwright, novelist, film & teledrama actor
- PresidentPresidentA president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Mahinda RajapaksaMahinda RajapaksaPercy Mahendra "Mahinda" Rajapaksa ; ; born November 18, 1945) is the 6th and current President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and served as prime minister from April 6,...
- current President of Sri Lanka
- Diyawadana NilameDiyawadana NilameDiyawadana Nilame is the office of chief lay custodian of Temple of the Tooth, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Formerly an office of the Royal household, today it remains a prestigious position, enriched with over two thousand years of history to safeguard and carry out ancient rituals for the most sacred Relic...
Pradeep Nilanga DelaPradeep Nilanga DelaPradeep Nilanga Dela is the present Diyawadana Nilame or Chief Custodian of Sri Dalada Maligawa and 19th Diyawadana Nilame. He acted as the Basnayake Nilame of Ruhunu Maha Kataragama devalaya and Sabaragamu Maha Saman devalaya, before being elected to the post of Diyawadana Nilame on July 1st...
Bandara - Chief Lay Head or Trustee of the Kandy Temple of the Tooth
- Dr Sarath GunapalaSarath Gunapala* By Isuru Jayakody...
- Senior Research Scientist Jet Propulsion Laboratory National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
USA
- Dr Chandana JayarathneChandana JayarathneDr Chandana Jayarathne is a Sri Lankan Physicists specialising in Physics . He is a Senior Lecturer in Physics at University of Colombo Sri Lanka and also current President of Institute of Physics, Sri Lanka.He is a product of Nalanda College Colombo and a graduate of University of Colombo with a...
- Senior Lecturer in Physics (Atmospheric & Lightning) University of Colombo
- Kuppiyawatta Bodhananda TheraKuppiyawatta Bodhananda TheraKuppiyawatta Bodhananda Thera is the founder of Mithuru Mithuro Movement in Sri Lanka. It is a center for drug rehabilitation & human values development.Venerable thero was presented with “Nalanda Keerthi Shri” award on 26 October 2009....
- founder of Mithuru Mithuro Movement
- Dr Gunadasa AmarasekaraGunadasa AmarasekaraGunadasa Amarasekera is a prominent Sinhala writer, poet, and essayist from Sri Lanka. Gunadasa Amarasekera was born in Yattalamatta in Galle District. He was educated at Mahinda College, Galle and Nalanda College Colombo...
- prominent Sinhala writer, poet, and essayist, graduate of University of Ceylon and a Dental Surgeon by profession
- Professor Pathmajeewa GanepolaPathmajeewa GanepolaProfessor Pathmajeewa Ganepola MRCP, MD is a Sri Lankan born Professor attached to Columbia University New York City, USA.He is also the Medical Director of The Center for Cancer Research and Genomic Medicine at The Valley Hospital USA....
- Professor of Medicine attached to Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
New York City, USA
Clubs & Societies
- Astronomical Society
- Aeronautical Society
- Adventures Club
- Archaeological Society
- Buddhist Association
- Communication Unit
- Computer Society
- Commerce Society
- Amadhyapa Sangamaya
- English Debating Society
- English Literary Association
- English Drama Circle
- Environmental Society
- Health Club
- Interact Club
- Leo Club
- Paranormal Investigation and Research Club
- Prefects Guild
- Photographic & Art Society
- Quiz Club
- Road Safety Unit
- Science Society
- Shakespeare Drama Society
- Social Services Association
- Sinhala Literary & Art Society
- Sinhala Oratory & Debating Society
- Saukyadana Unit
- United Nations Club
- Western Music Association
- Wild Life & Environmental Conservation Society
Sports
- Athletics
- Archery
- Badminton
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cadet Platoon
- Cadet Band
- Cricket
- Chess
- Gymnastics
- Hockey
- Martial Arts - Karate, Wushu
- Rugby Football
- Rifle Shooting
- Soccer
- Squash
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
Notable teachers
- Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Mahanayake Thero
- Dr. A. T. AriyaratneA. T. AriyaratneSri Lankabhimanya Ahangamage Tudor Ariyaratne is the founder and president of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement in Sri Lanka.-Biography:...
- founder of SarvodayaSarvodayaSarvodaya is a term meaning 'universal uplift' or 'progress of all'. The term was first coined by Mahatma Gandhi as the title of his 1908 translation of John Ruskin's tract on political economy, Unto This Last, and Gandhi came to use the term for the ideal of his own political philosophy...
Movement - Edward JayakodyEdward JayakodyEdward Jayakody is a Sri Lankan musician, singer and composer. Jayakody had directed the music for hundreds of Sinhala films and television serials; he has also composed many songs for children's programming .Jayakody won the Swarna Sanka Award in 1987 for Best Male Singer for the film Gedara...
- famous musician, singer and composer
Alumni
Main Article:Old NalandiansPast students who have studied at Nalanda College Colombo are referred to as Old Nalandians.
Battle of the Maroons
Main Article:Ananda-NalandaAnanda-Nalanda
Ananda - Nalanda is a cricket match played between Ananda College Colombo, and Nalanda College Colombo. It was first played in 1924. Over the years both schools has produced many world famous cricketers....
Ananda - Nalanda (Ananda versus Nalanda cricket match) is played between Ananda College
Ananda College
Ananda College , Colombo which is considered as the leading National school in Sri Lanka, was established on November 1, 1886, by the Buddhist Theosophical Society led by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott...
, Colombo and Nalanda College Colombo since 1924. Over the years Nalanda College has produced many world famous cricketers. Sri Lanka's first test captain was a Nalandian Bandula Warnapura
Bandula Warnapura
Bandula Warnapura is a former cricketer and captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. He played 4 Test matches and 12 One Day Internationals during his international cricketing career from 1975 to 1982...
and 1996 world champion team was led by Anandian Arjuna Ranatunga
Arjuna Ranatunga
Arjuna Ranatunga is a retired Sri Lankan cricketer and politician. He was the captain of Sri Lankan cricket team, and led them to an unbeaten title-winning campaign at the 1996 Cricket World Cup...
. Sri Lanka team that entered finals in 2007 were led by Nalandian Mahela Jayawardena. It was an Old Nalandian Karunaratne Abeysekera
Karunaratne Abeysekera
Karunaratne Abeysekera was one of Sri Lanka's most famous Sinhala broadcasters. He was also an acclaimed poet and songwriter and was widely admired for his excellent command of Sinhala....
who made history in the world of Radio broadcasting by being the first cricket commentator using the Sinhala language. Nalandians Roshan Mahanama
Roshan Mahanama
Roshan Siriwardene Mahanama is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and currently an ICC match referee.Although he averaged less than 30 at Test cricket, he did score four centuries, including a top score of 225 for the Sri Lankan cricket team against India at Colombo, where he shared a then world record...
is an Elite Panel Referee of International Cricket Council
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The...
and Kumar Dharmasena
Kumar Dharmasena
Kumar Dharmasena is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and current Umpire. He was a member of World Cup Winning Cricket Team 1996 for Sri Lanka. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm off-break bowler...
International Cricket Council
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The...
Umpire.