Nalanda College Colombo
| Nalanda College Colombo නාලන්දා විද්යාලය, කොළඹ |
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Colombo Sri Lanka |
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| Information | |
| Type | National School |
| Motto | "අපදාන ශෝභිණී පඤ්ඤා" Aapadana Sobhini Pangna "Character Illumines Wisdom" "යහපත් චරිතයෙන් ප්රඥාව ඔපනැංවේ" |
| Established | 1 November 1925 |
| Founder | Patrick de Silva Kularatne |
| Principal | Ranjith Jayasundara |
| Grades | Class 1 - 13 |
| Gender | Boys |
| Enrollment | 5,000 |
| Colour(s) | Maroon and Silver |
| Affiliation | Buddhist |
| Alumnus | Old Nalandians |
| Website | http://www.nalanda.sch.lk/ |
Nalanda College Colombo (Sinhala:නාලන්දා විද්යාලය, කොළඹ) is a public Buddhist national school in Colombo, Sri Lanka which is controlled by the central government. The School was established by Mr. P. de S. Kularatne as an offshoot of Ananda College Colombo and was registered as a separate school on 1 November 1925.
In 1922 a section of Ananda College was moved to Campbell Place, Colombo on a proposal made by Mr P. de. S. Kularathna (Patrick de Silva Kularatne), a leading Buddhist Educationist of the time. Mr L. H. Methananda was placed as Principal of this institution which was called as Ananda branch. Mr.W..E. Fernando was the Head master and Most Venerable Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Therea became its first Buddhist teacher.
In 1924. Mr P. de. S. Kularathna has spent Rs. 5,500/= to purchase a quarter acre of land close to the Campbell place playground and built 16 class rooms for the new school. Governor Gregory Thompson laid the foundation stone for a building to have 16 class rooms. Out of 16 class rooms he has used two rooms for the Principals office and staff members another two rooms for the Laboratories and balance 12 rooms for the classes. Three Hundred and thirty students of Ananda were transferred under Mr L. H. Mettananda in 1924.
Mr P.de. S Kularathna was the Chief person in all these activities was instrumental in getting the institution registered as a separate school on 1 November 1924. The new school was given its motto Apadana Sobhini Panna , and the school name NALANDA also proposed by Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero . The English and the Sinhala versions are Character Illumines Wisdom and Yahapath Charithayen Praggnawa Opanangwe respectively. Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thera has selected this motto from the "Anguttara Nikaya, Tika Nipatha, Bala Waggo Lakkana Sutta.
On 1 January 1926 Mr P.de.S. Kularathna has appointed Dr. Gunapala Mallasekara as Principal of the Nalanda College and transferred Mr. L.H. Metthanada to Ananda College as Vice Principal. Nalanda was fortunate in having its second principal the renowned scholar Prof. Gunapala Malasekera (Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera). Later Prof Gunapala Malasekara set about his duties with much enthusiasm and launched several projects. He made plans for the collection of funds for the construction of buildings, later commenced a bulletin titled "NALANDA". Also arranged 15 minutes Buddhist talk at the daily students assembly and took many steps to promote the Buddhist environment in the school.
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Wikipedia