Dharmapala Vidyalaya


Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya, established in 1942 on land owned by Anagarika Dharmapala, is the biggest Buddhist mixed school in Sri Lanka. It is a public school and provides primary, secondary and higher education.

Donation of the land

The land of the current school was originally owned by Anagarika Dharmapala. Later it was donated by the Don Hewawitharana Family to Mahabodhi Society and was allocated to Dharmapala Vidyalaya in 1940.

Dharmapala Vidyalaya today

Dharmapala Vidyalaya has over 8,000 students and 400 teaching staff on a campus of which is the largest school in South Asia.
It provides education for students from grade 1 to G.C.E. Advanced level With the facilities include playgrounds, swimming pool, basketball court, children's parks, research lab, auditorium, shooting range, tennis court, indoor badminton court, computer labs, medical and dental centers, saloon, two-storied shrine for Buddhist monks, gymnasium, library, botanical, zoological, physical and chemical labs, hostel, canteens, co-operative shops, milk bar, buses and vans.
It has the largest international level cricket ground in South Asia.

History

In 1940 an English secondary school was established at Pannipitiya as a branch of Ananda College Colombo. This new school was named Dharmapala Vidyalaya. On opening day two major events took place: the opening of late Sri Devamitta Dharmapala Thero Memorial building by the Minister of Health, W. A. de Silva, and the ceremonial opening of Dharmapala Vidyalaya by the General Manager of Buddhist Schools, Walter Wijeynaike.
Dharmapala Vidyalaya was managed by the Buddhist Theosophical Society under the direct supervision of the principal of Ananda College Colombo. It was a school for boys and girls and conducted classes from Kindergarten to the Matriculation Form, in English. Dharmapala Vidyalaya began its work on 8 January 1941. Its founder was Patrick de Silva Kularatne and its principal was J.E. Jayasooriya.
During World War II a section from Ananda College- Colombo, along with the teachers, shifted to the Dharmapala Vidyalaya premises due to fear of war. To accommodate these students more Cadjan sheds were built. Later six permanent classrooms were built for the Primary Section. The then-principal of Ananda College, P De S Kularathna, led this project.
With the exit of Jayasooriya, D. C. Lawris took over as principal in 1943.
The school registered as an independent institute and a Class 1 school for higher education. Up to H.S.C, many more students started entering Dharmapala. With the help of many donors and with the money collected by the students, another five classrooms were built for the Primary Section.
By February 1947 there were 1,420 students and H.S.C. classes were started. D.C. Lawris left Dharmapala Vidyalaya to take over as the principal of Ananda College, Colombo.

Houses

NameNotabilityReference
Prime Minister, member parliament - Horana, Kalutara
Commander of Sri Lankan Air Force
Commander of Sri Lankan Army
Vice Chancellor University of Kelaniya
corporate executive, film producer, philanthropist
filmwriter, director, producer
Solicitor General, Attorney General, Supreme Court Judge
Member of Parliament - Ratnapura, Deputy Minister of Finance
Member of Parliament - Puttalam, Deputy Minister of Lands
Member of Parliament - Seruvila
musician, composer
actor, screenwriter
founder of Saukyadana Movement of Sri Lanka
former Judicial Medical Officer Colombo
neurosurgeon, former Secretary of Government Medical Officers Association
Professor of Medicine at University of Sri Jayewardenepura
consultant surgeon and President of the Safe Bottle Lamp Foundation
medical researcher and social activist
consultant neurologist, former President Ceylon College of Physicians
consultant community physician, National Consultant World Health Organization, former Deputy Director General of Health Services
founder President of International Eye Bank, Tissue Bank and Eye Donation Society, Honorary Fellow of the College of Ophthalmologists of Sri Lanka
Major General, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence
Vice Chancellor University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Sports

The annual big match, the Battle of Golden Lions, between Dharmapala Vidyalaya and Rahula College is the major sport event in the school.
The Henry Steele Olcott Memorial Cricket Tournament is an annual cricket tournament conducted among the past cricketers of eight premier Buddhist schools in honor of Col. Olcott, the founder of Buddhist education in Sri Lanka.