83 Years of Excellence: Minu/Nalanda Girls’ Central College Celebrates Rich History
View(s):The Nalanda Vidyalaya was the significant inheritance granted to Minuwangoda from the Second World War. The history of Nalanda Girls’ Central College, Minuwangoda celebrating the Eighty-Third Birthday on 5th May 2025, runs back to 1942. On 5th Sunday April 1942 when the Japanese bombed Colombo, it was decided to move the prime schools in Colombo to other locations with the purpose of security. Another major reason for the same was that the buildings of these schools were needed by the British and Commonwealth armies to use as barracks or hospitals.
Therefore, they had to be abandoned. Colombo became a deserted city, in the face of the war. The Buddhist Theosophical Society (Parama Vignanartha Samgamaya) which then claimed ownership of a large number of schools in Colombo, decided to establish a branch of Nalanda College, Colombo in Minuwangoda with the approval of Venerable Heenatiyana Dhammaloka Thero. As mentioned in the records, D. S. Senanayake invited to establish the said branch in Mirigama, however it was confirmed to be established at a location in the Minuwangoda Raja Maha Viharaya, at the request of Venerable Heenatiyana Dhammaloka Thero. During this time period, Mr. J. N. Jinendradasa served as the Principal of Nalanda College, Colombo. Accordingly, it was mentioned that Venerable Heenatiyana Dhammaloka Thero, Venerable Nilpanagoda Dhammananda Nayaka Thero, along with Mr. Jinendradasa, the Principal of Nalanda College in Colombo, teaching staff, students and Mr. D. S. Senanayake, inaugurated this branch school at a ceremony held at the Raja Maha Viharaya on 5th May 1942. Accordingly, the first principal of this school was Mr. J. N. Jinendradasa. He served as the principal of this school until 1946.
It is reported that Venerable Nilpanagoda Dhammananda Thero, the incumbent of the Minuwangoda Raja Maha Viharaya, had provided the four-square preaching hall of the temple and the newly constructed & unfinished hall for conducting classes of the school and provided the necessary facilities including the kitchen and well in the hermitage to commence the school. The members of teaching staff of the small branch school of Nalanda College, Colombo, which was thus started were Mr. D. C. Loris (later the Principal of Nalanda College, Colombo), Mr. M. D. Gunawardena (later the Principal of Thurstan College, Colombo), Mr. S. A. Wijayathilaka (later the Principal of Dharmaraja College, Kandy), Mr. B. Mapalagama, Mr. D. L. Dissanayake, Ven. Dodanduwe Sri Kalyanawansa Thero, Mr. D. R. Alahendra, Mr. V. I. Perera, Mrs. J. N. Kurian, Mrs. Alwis, Mr. V. M. Abeysekara and Mr. D. J. Walpola were pioneers of a great educational force. The college, which started with a two very small halls at the Minuwangoda Raja Maha Viharaya, progressed and became a powerful institution in 1943 under the leadership of Mr. J. N. Jinendradasa. It is stated that he made remarkable effort to maintain the level of education prevailing in the Colombo schools by bringing skilled, specialised teachers in subjects such as English, Mathematics, Geography and Science to this college, for a few days a week.
It is mentioned that the school was in a serious crisis as the great teachers serving in this college were called up for more serious responsibilities in the famous schools of the country as the war situation in the country had subsided and normalcy had returned in 1944. A young generation of teachers came forward to fill the said vacancies, and Hamton sisters, S. Panibharatha and G. Ranganatha were foremost among them. In 1945, Nalanda had to face various issues due to the administration of the Government and the Parama Vignanartha Samgamaya and the lack of funds. However, Nalanda, Minuwangoda which moved forward despite these issues, emerged as a separate college from Nalanda College, Colombo from the 01st of January 1947. Mr. J. N. Jinendradasa left the post of principal in December 1946 and Mr. D. J. Walpola, a teacher who had brought to this college by him, was appointed as the new principal. He was the second principal of this college and his term was from 1947 to 1950.
He was the principal of Nalanda at a time the school facing many difficulties and took care of the college with much concern. During his term in 1948 and 1949, the Department of Education and the Parama Vignanartha Samgamaya were in a view as to whether Nalanda could be continued in Minuwangoda or whether it would be closed down. He fought to save the college with the efforts of students and the support of teachers who provide their service voluntarily without having salary. At the meantime, in 1949, Mr. P. de S. Kularatne, who was appointed as the General Manager of the Parama Vignanartha Buddhist Society, came to Minuwangoda to close the college. Mr. Kularatne, who decided not to close the school, entrusted the school to Mr. Walpola to continue its service. In an article published in the magazine ‘Nalanda Minuwangoda’ on the occasion of the silver jubilee of college in 1967, Mr. P. de S. Kularatne said that “I inherited Nalanda College, Colombo as my child and Nalanda College, Minuwangoda as my granddaughter”. Mr. Kularatne also said in the article that he was glad to be alive at the time of commemorating the silver jubilee of college. Mr. D. J. Walpola left the school for studying law, and Mr. H. Samarawickrama was appointed to the vacant post of principal on 16.10.1950. He was the third principal of this school. During his term, three laboratories were initiated, namely a Chemistry laboratory, a Physics laboratory and a Botany laboratory, and the first steps were taken for a library. When he took over, this college was a general grade school. During his term, the college became a first grade school. His term as principal ended on 31.05.1961. With the departure of Mr. Samarawickrama, Mr. J. M. P. Jayasekara appointed to the post of principal (01.06.1961 – 25.06.1963). In 1962, Minuwangoda Nalanda Vidyalaya was taken over by the government and it was named as Nalanda Maha Vidyalaya.
With the departure of Mr. Jayasekara as the principal of Bibila Central College, Mr. K. T. De Silva assumed duties as the fifth principal of the college from 26.06.1963. His term was limited to a short period and ended on 17.10.1963, and Mr. L. S. Jayathilaka assumed duties as the sixth principal of the school (18.10.1963 – 16.05.1966). With the end of Mr. Jayathilaka’s term, Mr. R. A. Jinasena, who had studied at the Nalanda Vidyalaya and served as a teacher of the Nalanda Vidyalaya, appointed as the principal (from 17.05.1966). He had served as the Acting Principal and Vice-Principal of the college prior to assume duties in the same position. Mr. Jinasena is the seventh principal of the school and his term ended on 01.09.1966. The eighth principal of the school was Mr. Nimal Vithanachchi (01.09.1966 – 06.03.1972). The most significant transformation that took place during his term was renaming the school as a girls’ school namely CN/ Nalanda Girls’ Central College, which had been a mixed school since 01.01.1972. With the approval of the government, the boys of this college were shifted to the neighbouring Minuwangoda Central College and the girls of that college were shifted to this school. Accordingly, Minuwangoda Central College was renamed as CN/ Nalanda Boys’ College.
Then, Mrs. Swarnalatha Illangakoon, a teacher, appointed as the principal of Nalanda Girls’ Central College. She changed the school uniform and the logo, and was committed of making the college befitting a girl’s college. She left the school on 28.02.1976 after being transferred. She was the ninth principal of this college and the tenth principal was Mrs. H. M. Sirisuriya, who had served as the deputy principal of Rathnawali Balika Vidyalaya, Gampaha. Mrs. Sirisuriya served as the principal for 11 years and was able to bring Nalanda Girls’ College to a higher rank in the area. Then, in 1990, Mrs. Wimala Ranasinghe became the principal and she became the eleventh principal of this college. After her service for about a year, Mrs. E. A. Jayasinghe (1991-1993) took over the position of Mrs. Wimala Ranasinghe. After that, Mrs. M. K. Abeywardena, who served as the deputy principal from 1988 to 1990, appointed as the principal of this college. Her term was from 1993-1999. Later, Miss. Lalitha Ranasinghe became the principal. After her term, Mrs. S. M. Ranaweera served as the principal of the college until 18.10.2019. The current principal of the school is Mrs. Dilini Buddhika Rupasinha, who joined the school on 01st January 2020. Currently, the school conducts classes from Grade 1 to Grade 13, and the total number of students is over 2500, and a teaching staff of 89 is engaged in the service, nurturing them with knowledge. Both Sinhala and English medium classes are held, and the talent of Nalanda girls not only in education but also in sports, creative skills and aesthetic is evident in their achievements both nationally and internationally.
Long Live Mother Nalanda, Minuwangoda!!
Past Pupils’ Association (PPA),
Nalanda Girls’ Central College,
Minuwangoda
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