Vidyartha celebrates 75th anniversary with first day cover

The 75th anniversary celebrations of Vidyartha College, a prestigious school formed for Buddhist children, took place with the issue of a first day postal cover by the post office. The cover was presented to the Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake at a ceremony held at the school hall.

Vidyartha College was begun in Gampola by T.B. and M.B Pannabokke to cater to middle class families who could not afford to go to schools around Kandy. The Gampola inauguration carried on for awhile but was not too attractive and the school was shifted to Kandy. Here the Pannabokke's were joined by A.C.L. Ratwatte, S. L. Ratwatte, S. C. L. Ratwatte, K.B.Wijekoon, R.Divitotawela, former governor- general William Gopallawa, A. Ratnayake, M.B.E.Seneviratne, M.Coswatte and M.B.Kulugamana.

According to a past principal M. B. Damunupola, Kulugamana and Seneviratne bought the land for the school. There was a private school called Kings College on the present land and this was bought using the Vidyaratha Society monies given by Kulugamana and Seneviratne, according to M r. Damunupola.

Here Vidyartha came into being with 40 students and six tutors. It catered at the time to Buddhist children who could not be admitted to another school A boarding was also established. The fist principal was G. D. A. Abeyratne ( 1942- 1948), then M. B. A. Mediwaka became the principal from 1948 to 1955. By 1955, the school was graded as a grade one school.

The celebrations commenced in 2016 with Colonel Ranjith Rajapakse and Major M.P.R. Maydunne the present principal.

Vidyartha has come a long way and produced distinguished men to serve the country and will continue to do so.

By L.B.Senaratne