Ananda College
| Ananda College ආනන්ද විද්යාලය |
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| Location | |
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Colombo Sri Lanka 
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| Coordinates | 6°55′30″N 79°52′09″E / 6.92500°N 79.86917°ECoordinates: 6°55′30″N 79°52′09″E / 6.92500°N 79.86917°E |
| Information | |
| Type | National |
| Motto |
"අප්පමාදො අමතපදං" Appamado Amathapadan (Buddhist quote from the Apramadha Vagga in the Dhammapada. Meaning: "Heedfulness, punctuality leads to Nirvana.") |
| Established | 1886 |
| Founder | Colonel Henry Steel Olcott |
| Principal | S.M. Keerthirathna |
| Grades | Class 1 – 13 |
| Gender | Boys |
| Age range | 6 to 19 |
| Enrollment | 7000 |
| Color(s) |
Maroon and Gold |
| Affiliation | Buddhist |
| Alumni | Old Anandians |
| Website | www |
"අප්පමාදො අමතපදං"
Maroon and Gold
Ananda College (Sinhala: ආනන්ද විද්යාලය), Colombo, is a national school for boys, with a student population exceeding 7,000 across 13 grades from primary to secondary classes, on a campus of 20 acres (81,000 m2) in the suburb of Maradana. The College, incepted as a result of the Sri Lankan Buddhist Renaissance which took place in the late 19th century, continues to be a premier boys' school in the country, producing countless Sri Lankan erudite scholars, professionals, military servicemen and all around well-disciplined citizens. 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 2016[update] an academic staff of more than 150 was led by Mr. S.M. Keerthiratne. Ananda College is often cited as the crowning glory of Sri Lankan Buddhist education.It was originally formed as a Sunday school and later was developed as a leading school of the island.
Following a meeting of Buddhists at Pettah, under the patronage of Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera, an English-Buddhist school was inaugurated at No. 61 Maliban Street, Colombo, on 1 November 1886 by the Buddhist Theosophical Society. C. W. Leadbeater was appointed the first principal of "Ananda today". The first session was attended by 37 students.
By the time the school was officially registered in March 1889, there were 120 students. In August 1889, it was moved to more spacious premises at No. 19 Prince Street. That same year, J. P. R. Weerasuriya became the first Anandian to pass the Cambridge junior examination.
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 enrolments rose to 200 in September 1892 and 270 in 1894. That year, Mr Tudor Rajapaksha donated 3.2 acres (13,000 m2) of land and the school was relocated in the suburb of Maradana. On 17 August 1895, the former English Buddhist School was renamed as Ananda College Colombo.
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Wikipedia