Statues for 2 past, outstanding Ananda College Principals
View(s):The Ambalangoda Deshiya Sangvidanaya (ADS) intends to erect statues of two popular principals of Ananda College, Colombo, for the invaluable service they rendered to the school and society. Accordingly, the late P.D.S. Kularatne and L.H. Mettananda from Ambalangoda, will be honoured with their statues erected at Pettiyagoda, Ambalangoda, close to Dharmasoka College, where they had their Primary education.
L.H. Meththananda
P.D.S. Kularathna
Both philanthropists renowned for the services they rendered in Education, had their Secondary education at Richmond College, Galle. Mr Kularatne was born on March 31, 1893, in the village of Viliyagoda, Ambalangoda and obtained a scholarship to the University of London. He obtained 1st Class Honours for his BA in 1915, and the BSc in 1916. He also got his LLB in 1917 in the UK, and returned to Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in 1918, when he was appointed Principal of Ananda College Colombo.
At that time, the College, run by the Buddhist Theosophical Society, was situated at Mariyakade in Maradana. Under Mr Mettananda’s stewardship as Principal, the school grew in strength and within a year the number of students rose from 350 to 1,000. Its popularity spread, which prompted parents to remove their sons from other schools and send them to Ananda College. Prominent politicians Dr N.M. Perera and Don Philip Gunewardena are two of them.
L.H. Mettananda was born in 1894, and after obtaining his BA and MA in Education, became the 1st Principal of Nalanda College in 1923. In 1945, he was appointed Principal of Ananda College where he served for 10 years. In 1934, he became the President of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress.
A Committee under Speaker Karu Jayasuriya is to be inaugurated, when ADS President Buddika Kurukulartane will present a cheque for Rs 100,000 as a donation for the cause. The ADS appeals to all old boys of Ananda and Nalanda Colleges to contribute towards this noble cause.
- Chrishanthi Christopher