1. Early history

2. Ananda Viharaya

3. Houses

4. Controversy

5. "Battle of the Maroons"

6. Old Boys' Association

7. Clubs & Societies

8. Notable alumni

9. Olcott oration

10. College war memorial

11. Notable past principals

12. Notable teachers

13. References

14. External links

Ananda College (Sinhala: ආනන්ද විද්‍යාලය) is a national school for boys, with a student population exceeding 8,000 across 13 grades from primary to secondary classes,^[1] on a campus of {{convert|10|acre|m2}} in Maradana, Colombo.^[1] The College was incepted as a result of the Sri Lankan Buddhist Renaissance which took place in the late 19th century. It was established on November 1, 1886, by the Buddhist Theosophical Society led by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott and became a government school in 1961. {{As of|2018}} an academic staff of more than 300 was led by Mr. S.M. Keerthiratne. It was originally formed as a Sunday school.

Early history

Following a meeting of Buddhists at Pettah, under the patronage of Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera, an English-Buddhist school was inaugurated at 19 Prince Street on 1 November 1886 by the Buddhist Theosophical Society. The first session was attended by 37 students. In 1888, when about 130 boys were attending, it moved to 61 Maliban Street. C. W. Leadbeater was appointed the first principal of Ananda today.^[3]

By the time the school was officially registered in March 1889, there were 120 students. That same year, J. P. R. Weerasuriya became the first Anandian to pass the Cambridge junior examination. The Cambridge graduate and confessed Buddhist A. E. Bultjens became principal.^[2]

In March 1890, the school's proximity to a Catholic school led to controversy—and a move to 54 Maliban Street where further growth ensued, and student enrollments rose to 200 in September 1892 and 270 in 1894. As principals followed Don Baron Jayatilaka. That year, Mr. Tudor Rajapaksha donated {{convert|3.2|acre|m2}} of land^[3] and the school was relocated in the suburb of Maradana. On 17 August 1895, the former English Buddhist School was renamed to Ananda College Colombo. The school's budget that year was 3800 Rs.

The list of principals until the end of World War I continues as follows: T. Davis, M. U. Moore and Fritz Kunz, close friend of Leadbeater and husband of Dora.

When Patrick de Silva Kularatne took over in 1918 attendance was 450 which rapidly increased to 1000 two years later. At this time the annual budget was 80000 Rs.^[2] In 1919, the Dutugemunu fund was inaugurated. The funds raised paid for a building with nine classrooms. That same year, eight classes for Buddhist monks began. In the same month a {{convert|4|acre|m2|adj=on}} block of land was made available for the college playground at Campbell Place.

By 1961, the college had officially become a government school.^[3]

Ananda Viharaya

The Ananda Viharaya, is undoubtedly the most easily distinguishable building of the college.^[4] The foundation stone for the Vihara mandiraya was laid by Late Prime Minister, Hon. Dudly Senanayake on 29 January 1953 during the tenure of Mr. L.H. Mettananda. The model of the "Mulagandhakuti Viharaya" has been replicated when designing the building and the Buddha statue has been designed by Venerable Kalasoori Mapalagama Vipulasara Thero.

Completed under Col. E.A. Perusinghe, Late Governor, Honourable William Goppallawa handed over the Viharaya to the School on 6 March 1969.^[4]

Houses

The students are divided among four houses:

• Gamunu – Colour – {{color box|#000080}} Navy Blue
• Parakrama – Colour – {{color box|#FF0000}} Red
• Vijaya – Colour – {{color box|#005F00}} Dark Green
• Asoka – Colour – {{color box|#3C006B}} Dark Purple

The houses are named after the four main ancient Sinhala kings of Sri Lanka. An annual track-and-field tournament among these houses is held at the beginning of the first term.

Controversy

In 2015 the school came under scrutiny after former President of Sri Lanka, Chandrika Kumaratunga accused the school of promoting prejudice and accused it of affiliations with religious fundamentalism.

"Battle of the Maroons"

In a tradition dating back to 1924, an annual cricket contest is held between Ananda College and Nalanda College Colombo. The two schools have contributed many players to the Sri Lanka national cricket team, including the old Anandians Sidath Wettimuny recipient of Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1985, Arjuna Ranatunga (who captained the Sri Lanka Cricket team to victory in the 1996 Cricket World Cup and who was also named as a Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1999), former Test captain Marvan Atapattu and T20 captain Dinesh Chandimal.^[5]

Old Boys' Association

Sir D. B. Jayatilleke, the then principal, conceived the idea of the Ananda College Old Boys' Association in 1908. Initially its main function was to organise a sports-meet and the annual dinner. In subsequent years the OBA and the school's administration have co-operated in furthering the development of the College. Prior to 1961 (when the school was nationalised) the incumbent principal of the school presided over the OBA. Since that date, a president is elected by members at each annual general meeting.^[6]

Clubs & Societies

Students at the Ananda College run over 50 clubs and organizations, including cultural and religious groups, academic clubs and teams, and common-interest organizations. These student societies include:

• Broadcasting Unit
• Buddhist Association
• Radio Club
• Saukhyadana Unit
• Traffic Control Club
• Photographic Art Society
• Music Circle
• Drama Circle
• Western Music Association
• Senior Brass Band
• Drug Prevention Society
• Leo Club
• Science Union
• Math Union
• Biology Association
• Chemistry Club
• Physics Club
• English Literary Union
• Astronomical Society
• Commerce Society
• Arts Circle
• Transport Board
• Agriculture Society
• Chess Association
• Archaeological Society
• Young Investors Society
• Philatelic society
• Non-violation society
• Student Counselling and Career Guidance Unit
• Library Society
• Scouts Troop
• IT Society
• Wildlife Association
• Japanese Club
• French Club
• Sinahala Literary Association
• Sinhala Debating Society
• English Debating Society
• Hela Sisu Havula
• Drama Circle
• Red Cross Society
• Dancing Circle
• United Nations Club
• Interact Club
• Quiz Club
• Mountaineering Society
• Robotics Society
• Army Cadet
• Airforce Cadet
• Navy Cadet
• Police Cadet
• Band Cadet
• Green energy club
• UNESCO club

Notable alumni

Olcott oration

Olcott oration is an annual event organized by the old boys association of Ananada College, which commemorate the founder Colonel Henry Steel Olcott of Ananda College and other leading Buddhist schools in Sri Lanka. Every year famous personalities who educated at Ananda College, share their own experience for the "Olcott oration" and renowned dignitaries who have delivered the oration in the past, include Prof. Nimal Rajapakshe, Prof. Sumedha Chandana Wirasinghe and Prof. Ravindra Fernando.^[8][9][10]

College war memorial

The Ananda College war memorial is situated in front of the Henry Steel Olcott Hall, and is dedicated to alumni of Ananda college who died while members of the Sri Lankan armed forces. Lieutenant A.P.N. P de Vas Gunawardana on 23 July 1983 became the first Anandian officer to sacrifice his life while in the Military. The plaque bears the names of old Anandians who were killed in the line of duty which includes the names of 45 war heroes from the Sri Lanka Army,^[11] and many more names of war heroes from the sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Air Force. Ananda College OBA organises an annual "Ananda Viruharasara" event to honour military dead.^[12][13][14]

Notable past principals

• C. W. Leadbeater (1886–1890)
• Sir D. B. Jayatilaka (1898–1908)
• P. De S. Kularatne (1918–1932;1936–1943)
• Dr. G. P. Malalasekera (?–?)

Notable teachers

• Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero
• Sikkim Mahinda Thero
• Polwatte Buddhadatta Mahanayake Thera
• Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera
• Chellappah Suntharalingam
• Lionel Ranwala
• Agampodi Paulus de Zoysa
• Tuan Burhanudeen Jayah
• R. A. Chandrasena

References

External links

• {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20110426111009/http://www.ananda.sch.lk:80/}}
• Ananda College Cricket

• National Convention (disambiguation)
• National Convention for Construction and Reform -Mageuzi
• National Convention for Construction and Reform – Mageuzi
• National Convention for Social Democracy
• National Convention for the Progress of Burkina
• National Convention (France)
• National Convention of France
• National Convention of New Sudan
• National Convergence
• National Convergence (Nicaragua)
• National Co-operative Archive
• National Cooperative Development Corporation (India)
• National Cooperative Grocers Association
• National Coordination Board
• National Coordination Board for Democratic Change
• National Coordination Body
• National Coordination Body for Democratic Change
• National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change
• National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
• National Coordinator of Health Information Technology
• National Corn Growers Assn. v. Canada (Import Tribunal)
• National Corn Growers Association
• National Corpus of Polish
• National costume of Albania
• National costume of Azerbaijan