Sri Sumangala College
Encyclopedia
Sri Sumangala College, in Panadura
, Sri Lanka
, was founded on March 3, 1909 at Rankoth Viharaya in memory of Ven.Weligama Sri Sumangala Thero
, who played an important role in Sri Lankan Buddhism. It is one of the oldest schools in the country. It is a national school, i.e., it is controlled by the central government as opposed to the Provincial Council. It is one of the largest Buddhist school in Sri Lanka, with a student population of 4000 over 13 Grades. The current academic staff numbers over 150.
The land for the school was donated by the Rankoth Viharaya while the buildings were constructed out of public funds. The school was managed by a Board of Management and funds for the running of the school were met by philanthropists and the general public.
Due to the rapid expansion of the College the Rankoth Viharaya premises become congested and there was the necessacity to re-locate the College. The Manager of the Board of Management tried to relocate to Walaw Waththa in 1942, where Sri Sumangala College is presently located. When this failed, the management decided to shift the college to Nalluruwa. The first old boy of the college, Walter Salgado, donated the land for the main buildings and M. C. Fernando donated about 2 1/2 acres to be used as the playground of the college.
The main hall of the building complex was donated by Leo Fernando; Physics
, Chemistry
and Biology
laboratories were donated by P. C. H. Diasin; and the main building and the class rooms were built with public donations.
All the classes from grade six upwards were taken to Nalluruwa new buildings on 7 August 1942. Grades 3,4 and 5 were continued at the Rankoth Viharaya premises and it was popularly called Town Branch of the college. The principal or the Head of this section was A. C. Morawaka who served the college until his retirement.
With the transfer of the college to Nalluruwa it become one of the leading educational institutions where laboratory facilities were available for the students to do science subjects in the medium of English
. Advance level students of the Sri Sumangala Girls School used the laboratories in the afternoons to do their practicals. The plot of land between the main college and the play ground was eventually acquired by the Education Department.
In 1961 a large number of schools were taken over by the government and Town Branch was registered as a separate school with a principal being appointed by the Education Department. A precedent was created to admit all the children who leave Town Branch after they passed the Grade Five test. In 1992 due to inclement weather the retaining wall of the Rankoth Viharaya collapsed damaging the main hall of the Town Branch. The school had to be kept closed for a few months. The Old Boys Association, parents and well wishers constructed 18 semi-permanent class rooms and the Town Branch was amalgamated to the main college.
On May 25, 1993 the College was declared a "National School" by the Ministry of Education.
On the 26th of December 2004 the Tsunami
which destroyed the southern and eastern coastal ares damaged part of the semi-permanent buildings of the college. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami struck during a school vacation so no injuries were recorded.
All together 182 schools were damaged by the Tsunami. Out of these damaged school the government has decided to re-locate 98 school including Sri Sumangala College. Donor partner JICA has granted a sum Rs.330 million to build a completely new school with all the modern facilities.
It is a coincidence of fate that the Sri Sumangala College has to be moved to a location five decades later that the Board of Management had initially planned on in 1942, before finally settling for the site in Nalluruwa.
of the Sri Sumangala College;
and is one of the leading groups on the island. It was the first Scout group started in Panadura-Horana Scout district. Currently, there are 60 Scouts and 100 Cub Scouts.
A Colombo
branch was inaugurated in 1986 with Dr. Malinga Fernando as President and the Kandy
Branch was established in 2001 with Dr. Ananda Gunasekara as the Founding President. Subsequently, the Sri Sumangala College Junior Old Boys' Association was established for the Old Boys under 30 years. On SSCOBA's 82nd year a permanent shelter was built, which includes office space and an Auditorium. Preliminary work is underway to establish SSCOBA branches in the U.K., Australia
and New Zealand
.s
Panadura
- History :The historic debate 'Panadura Vadaya' was held in this place which is a milestone of the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka with the initiative of the ven. Migettuwaththe Gunananda Thera.- People and Culture :Panadura is home to about 100,000 citizens...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, was founded on March 3, 1909 at Rankoth Viharaya in memory of Ven.Weligama Sri Sumangala Thero
Weligama Sri Sumangala
Venerable Weligama Sri Sumangala Thera was an outstanding scholar bhikkhu with many important publications -Hitopadsesa Atthadassi, Hitopadsesa Padarthavykanaya, Upadesa Vinischaya, Siddanta Sekaraya. His work Siddhanta Sekharaya of 700 pages was printed at the Government Press in 1897...
, who played an important role in Sri Lankan Buddhism. It is one of the oldest schools in the country. It is a national school, i.e., it is controlled by the central government as opposed to the Provincial Council. It is one of the largest Buddhist school in Sri Lanka, with a student population of 4000 over 13 Grades. The current academic staff numbers over 150.
History
In the year 1911 when this school was registered as an Assisted School there were 325 students on roll. The first Principal was Mr. Thomas E. Gunarathne.The land for the school was donated by the Rankoth Viharaya while the buildings were constructed out of public funds. The school was managed by a Board of Management and funds for the running of the school were met by philanthropists and the general public.
Due to the rapid expansion of the College the Rankoth Viharaya premises become congested and there was the necessacity to re-locate the College. The Manager of the Board of Management tried to relocate to Walaw Waththa in 1942, where Sri Sumangala College is presently located. When this failed, the management decided to shift the college to Nalluruwa. The first old boy of the college, Walter Salgado, donated the land for the main buildings and M. C. Fernando donated about 2 1/2 acres to be used as the playground of the college.
The main hall of the building complex was donated by Leo Fernando; Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
and Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
laboratories were donated by P. C. H. Diasin; and the main building and the class rooms were built with public donations.
All the classes from grade six upwards were taken to Nalluruwa new buildings on 7 August 1942. Grades 3,4 and 5 were continued at the Rankoth Viharaya premises and it was popularly called Town Branch of the college. The principal or the Head of this section was A. C. Morawaka who served the college until his retirement.
With the transfer of the college to Nalluruwa it become one of the leading educational institutions where laboratory facilities were available for the students to do science subjects in the medium of English
. Advance level students of the Sri Sumangala Girls School used the laboratories in the afternoons to do their practicals. The plot of land between the main college and the play ground was eventually acquired by the Education Department.
In 1961 a large number of schools were taken over by the government and Town Branch was registered as a separate school with a principal being appointed by the Education Department. A precedent was created to admit all the children who leave Town Branch after they passed the Grade Five test. In 1992 due to inclement weather the retaining wall of the Rankoth Viharaya collapsed damaging the main hall of the Town Branch. The school had to be kept closed for a few months. The Old Boys Association, parents and well wishers constructed 18 semi-permanent class rooms and the Town Branch was amalgamated to the main college.
On May 25, 1993 the College was declared a "National School" by the Ministry of Education.
On the 26th of December 2004 the Tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
which destroyed the southern and eastern coastal ares damaged part of the semi-permanent buildings of the college. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami struck during a school vacation so no injuries were recorded.
All together 182 schools were damaged by the Tsunami. Out of these damaged school the government has decided to re-locate 98 school including Sri Sumangala College. Donor partner JICA has granted a sum Rs.330 million to build a completely new school with all the modern facilities.
It is a coincidence of fate that the Sri Sumangala College has to be moved to a location five decades later that the Board of Management had initially planned on in 1942, before finally settling for the site in Nalluruwa.
Founders
- Ven. Gnanawimalathissa Maha Thero (lived in PanaduraPanadura- History :The historic debate 'Panadura Vadaya' was held in this place which is a milestone of the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka with the initiative of the ven. Migettuwaththe Gunananda Thera.- People and Culture :Panadura is home to about 100,000 citizens...
Rankoth Viharaya )
- Ven. Walpita Gunarathana Thissabidana Amarapura Maha Nikaye Thero
Houses
The College has 4 houses. The houses are named after kings of Sri Lanka. The houses are:| House | Colour | Named After |
|---|---|---|
| Vijaya | Green | King Vijaya |
| Gamunu | Yellow | King Gamini |
| Tissa | Red | King Tissa Tissa of Sri Lanka Tissa was king of Upathissa Nuwara from 454 BC to 437 BC. He succeeded his older brother Abhaya.-See also:* List of monarchs of Sri Lanka* Mahavamsa* History of Sri Lanka* Place names in Sri Lanka-External links:* *... |
| Parakrama | Blue | King Parakramabahu I |
Alumni
Past pupils of Sri Sumangala College are well-known as Old Sumangalians, they take account of many notable figures.Some distinguished Old Sumangalians:- Prof. S. A. Kulasuriya
- Prof. P. A. de Silva
- Sir Isaac Fernando
- Noel T. Mendis
- D. W. J. Perera
- A. P. Jayasuriya
- Deshabandu Alec Robertson
- Walter Salgado
- Richard Salgado
- Selvyn de Fonseka
- Mervyl Kariyawasam
- T. Jason Peiris
- N. Q. Dias
- Dick H. Dias
- Sarath Rodrigo
- Keerthi Sri Perera
- Linton Wijenayake
- Sir Leo Fernando
- Padma Sri Pandit
- W. D. Amaradewa
- Sir Ukwatte Jayasundera
- Dr. Linton Salgado
- Dr. Malinga Fernando
- Premasiri KhemadasaPremasiri KhemadasaDr.Premasiri Khemadasa also known as "Khemadasa Master" is one of the most influential composers in Sri Lankan music. Exploring the various styles of music around the world Khemadasa endeavored to develop a unique style of music...
– Music Director,Composer - Prof. Ranjith Ruberu
- W. D. Amaradeva – Music Director,vocalist,musical composer
- Dr. Neville Fernando
- Mr. Merril Kariyawasam
- Rear Admiral Daya Dharmapriya
- Tissa Illeperuma
Principals
Following is a list of past PrincipalsDean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the Sri Sumangala College;
| Entered Office | |
|---|---|
| Thomas E. Gunaratne | |
| W. Charls De Silva | |
| T. S. Anirawan | |
| C. E. Setrange | |
| D. C. Ranasinghe | |
| R. S. S. Gunawardena | |
| A. Ginige | |
| A. M. De Silva | |
| T. N. K. Chandrasekara | |
| P. J. Jayaratne | |
| P. D. S. Kularatne | |
| M. W. Karunananda | |
| Entered Office | |
|---|---|
| D. W. J. Perera | |
| A. J. Fernando | |
| K. L. V. Alagiyawanna | |
| R. A. Marthas | |
| C. H. J. Weerasooriya | |
| Arther Ranasinghe | |
| H. R. Pepera | |
| W. Kahandagama | |
| S. Wijeweera | |
| M. D. L. Fernando | |
| A. G. Weththasinghe | |
| D. D. Wijemanna | |
| Entered Office | |
|---|---|
| A. G. De Silva | |
| H. S. N. K. Fernando | |
| G. D. K. Perera | |
| J. K. P. Ashokaratne | |
| D. E. Jayaneththi | |
| L.W Somathilake | |
Sports
- Cricket
- Swimming
- Hockey
- Athletics
- Volleyball
- Table Tennis
- Badminton
- Karate
- Chess
- Boxing
Scouts
Sri Sumangala College Scout group is in the Panadura-Horana Scout districtSri Lanka Scout Association
The Sri Lanka Scout Association , the national Scouting organization of Sri Lanka, was founded in 1912, and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1953...
and is one of the leading groups on the island. It was the first Scout group started in Panadura-Horana Scout district. Currently, there are 60 Scouts and 100 Cub Scouts.
Old Boys Association
The Old Boys' Association of Sri Sumangala College (SSCOBA), was established on October 28, 1922. It was began by the then Principal, Mr. Abeyseela Ginige. Walter Salgado donated the land where the Associations building was built in 1942. By 1981, the SSCOBA had drafted a comprehensive Constitution. In 1982, the membership increased at a steady pace. In 1985, Wilson Kahandagamage was elected as its first Old Boy President by a Constitutional amendment.A Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
branch was inaugurated in 1986 with Dr. Malinga Fernando as President and the Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
Branch was established in 2001 with Dr. Ananda Gunasekara as the Founding President. Subsequently, the Sri Sumangala College Junior Old Boys' Association was established for the Old Boys under 30 years. On SSCOBA's 82nd year a permanent shelter was built, which includes office space and an Auditorium. Preliminary work is underway to establish SSCOBA branches in the U.K., Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.s
Junior Old Boys Association
The Junior Old Boys Association was formed in 1999 by an group of 10 year old boys from Sri Sumangala College. The Junior Old Boys Association was formed with the guidance and blessings of former SSCOBA J. K. P. Asokarathne. Seniors accepted the formation of the Junior Old Boys’ Association and many constitutional links were formed between the two associations. Dinesh De Silva was the first President of the Junior Old Boys Association and Ranganath Pathinayake and Sugath Wijerathne were the first Joint Secretaries, while Sanjaya De Silva was the first treasurer.Old boys
- Old Boys' Association of Sri Sumangala College
- Junior Old Boys Association of Sri Sumangala College.
- Group of Sumangala99 the group of past Sumangalians who did O/Ls in 1996 and A/Ls in 1999.
- Sumangalians Scout Association'