Isipathana College

Isipathana College
Location
Isipathana College
Location in Colombo municipality
Colombo
Sri Lanka
Coordinates 6°53′15″N 79°52′06″E / 6.88750°N 79.86833°E / 6.88750; 79.86833Coordinates: 6°53′15″N 79°52′06″E / 6.88750°N 79.86833°E / 6.88750; 79.86833
Information
Type National
Motto Pali : "දළගං පගණත විරියං"
Sinhala : "අදිටනින් වෙර වඩමු"
English : Strive With Determination
Established 2 February 1952
Founder B. A. Kuruppu
Principal Premasiri Epa
Staff 250
Grades Class 1 - 13
Gender Boys
Age 5 to 19
Enrollment 5,000
Colour(s)

Dark and Light Green

        
Website www.isipathana.lk
Isipathana Rugby team.

Isipathana College[1] (formerly known as Greenlands College[2]) is a National school for boys located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Founded in January 1952, the school was initially named as Isipathana Maha Vidalaya,[3] but is now referred to simply as "Isipathana".

History

In January 1952 with an intake of 400 boys, who constituted the overflow from the Royal Preparatory School, Greenlands College was established in a coconut grove amidst the lush greenery of Havelock Town on Greenlands Road (after which it was named), about 7 acres (28,000 m2) in extent.

The first principal was B. A. Kuruppu (1952 -1959) who was then the vice principal of Blue Street Central College, Kotahena.

The initial admissions were made by a Board composed of Principals of Royal College Colombo and Thurstan Colleges and the Head Master of Royal Preparatory School; classes were organised in all three streams - Sinhala, Tamil and English, with a tutorial staff of seven teachers.

The college crest was designed by the first principal with the assistance of J. D. A. Perera and Stanley Abeysinghe of Heywood School of Art, with the lighted lamp and open book and motto "Strive with determination". The college colours dark and light green were selected from the name of the college (Greenland College).

The first sportsmeet was held in March 1953 and the first prize giving in 1954.

The first issue of the college magazine came out in 1954. In 1956 "Vihara Mandiraya and Chaitya" was built to commemorate "Buddha Jayanthi year" at school premises. The college had adapted itself to the socio-cultural changes which were taking place since Buddha Jayanthi in 1956 which led to the renaming of the college in 1961. Greenlands Road had been renamed as "Isipathana Mawatha"[4] after Isipathanaramaya Temple and the school was renamed as "Isipathana Maha Vidyalaya". Within a decade "Greenlands" became "Isipathana".

In 1962 the college was divided into two schools as Kanishta (junior) and Jeshta (upper) Vidyalayas (colleges) as with two Principals. In 1975 the Education Department amalgamated Kanishta Vidyalaya (junior college) with the Maha Vidyalaya (senior college). In 1999 the school was once again morphed into Isipathana College under the leadership of one principal

The current principal is Premasiri Epa. The school currently has more than 5,000 students enrolled, from grades 1 to 13.

The School Anthem Isipathana College is "Sarade Matha Isipathanaya apa..."

Principals

NameFromTo
B. A. Kuruppu1 January 195211 October 1959
S. J. Rodrigo12 October 195907 January 1965
A. H. Wijetunge8 January 196528 May 1965
H. R. Perera1 June 196531 July 1966
H. D. De Silva - Acting Principal1 August 196631 July 1967
Brevel. Col. G.W. Rajapakse1 August 196730 June 1969
W. T. P. T. Thilakaratne1 July 19699 February 1971
T. E. de S. Leelananda10 February 197122 October 1979
S. de Muthukumarana23 October 197930 December 1980
V. S. Kudaligama1 January 19815 January 1981
Gamini Chandrasekara6 January 198230 January 1987
D. G. W. Jayasinghe1 February 19877 January 1997
H. A. Upali Gunasekara10 January 199731 February 2002
Punyadasa Kuruppu1 January 200319 July 2010
I. M. Kamal Palitha Illanasinghe20 July 201030 May 2011
A. M. A. A. C. Perera1 June 201115 May 2015
Epa K. Premesiri1 June 2015Present

Houses

The students are divided into four Houses. The names are derived from four poets - Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula Thera, Rabindranath Tagore, John Milton and Muhammad Iqbal. The houses compete to win the inter-house games.

  • Tagore

Color :      red

  • Rahula

Color :     yellow

  • Milton

Color :      blue

  • Iqbal

Color :      purple

Innovations

Isipathana College was:

1. the first school to publish a periodical children’s news paper with an editorial board consisting of students only.[5]

2. the first school to provide the learning of Japanese language and culture from grade 2 onwards.[5]

3. the first school to be triple champions in Sri Lanka schools rugby.[5]

4. the first school to produce a cadet platoon band.[5]

5. the first school to produce a Sri Lanka test cricket player who became a test cricket umpire.[5]

6. the first school to develop a web site for an UN Organization by its students.[5]

7. the first school to produce a photographic laboratory.[5]

8. the first school to produce a Sri Lankan test cricket player to take the first hat-trick for Sri Lanka.[5]

9. the school that produced the first ever Sri Lankan to be appointed by the International Rugby Board (IRB) as the Referee Trainer for the Asian Region.[5]

10. the first school to produce a documentary of the school on a CD.[5]

11. the first Sri Lankan school to win the ‘Most Disciplined Team Award’ at the 10th International Convention on Students' Quality Control Circle at Lucknow, India in 2007.[5]

Annual big match

Isipathana play Thurstan in their Annual Big Match and it is called The Battle of the Brothers.[6] Out of the 52 matches played between Thurstan College and Isipathana College 6 matches has been won by Thurstan college while Isipathana college has only won 5 while the other matches ended in a draw.

Sports

Sport is a major part of Isipathana College, with over 15 different sports played. Taking centre stage of the annual sporting calendar are the annual Isipathana -Thurstan cricket encounter (Big Match), the Royal-Isipathana Rugby encounter (for the Maj. Milroy Fernando Trophy) and the Isipathana - Thurstan Rugby Encounter (for the Abdul Jabbar Trophy).

Annual Fixture Isipathana College Vs. Thurstan College Big Match Battle of the Brothers played annually since 1963[7]

Annual Fixture Isipathana College Vs. Thurstan College for the Abdul Jabar Trophy Rugby Isipathana College Vs, Royal College for the Maj. Milroy Fernando Trophy

Notable alumni

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
Name Notability Reference
Gangodawila Soma Thero buddhist monk
Asanka Gurusinha international cricket player (1985–1996) [8]
Ashantha de Mel international cricket player (1982–1986)
Asoka de Silva (cricketer) international cricket player (1985–1991)
Aravinda de Silva international cricket player (1984–2002)
Rohan de Silva pianist
Jayantha Paranathala international cricket player (1977–1990) [9]
Suresh Perera international cricket player (1998–2001)
Chitral Somapala musician
Hashan Tillakaratne international cricket player (1989–2004) [8]
Sanjeewa Weerasinghe international cricket player (1985)
Nuwan Zoysa international cricket player (1997–2004)

References

  1. ↑ "Isipathana College Online Information Centre". Isipathanaonline.info. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
  2. ↑ "About Isipathana College". Isipathanaonline.info. 2009-06-02. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
  3. ↑ Shamseer Jaleel (2003-06-29). "A few hiccups but Isipathana are strong and agile as ever". Sunday Times. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
  4. ↑ http://www.ceylonlanka.info/2013/02/street-names-in-colombo.html
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Isipathana was the first to..." Isipathanaonline.info. 2009-06-02. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
  6. ↑ Thushan Jayasuriya (2013-03-22). "Isipathana - Thurstan clash for 50th time". Daily News. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
  7. ↑ http://www.nation.lk/edition/sport-online/item/38800-isipathana-and-thurstan-play-out-big-match-draw.html
  8. 1 2 http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/599793.html
  9. ↑ http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=sports/jayantha-paranathala-national-cricketer-and-fine-administrator%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D
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