Vidyaloka College Explained

Vidyaloka College
Motto:pi|Sukhō Paññāya Paṭilābhō
si|සුඛෝ පඤ්ඤාය පටිලාභෝ
Motto Translation:ප්‍රඥාව ලැබීම සැපයකි/Gaining wisdom is bliss
Founder:Weliwitiye Punyasara Thera
H. W. Amarasuriya
Grades:1 to G.C.E. (A/L)
Gender:Boys
Lower Age:6
Upper Age:19
Enrollment:3,100 +
Pushpin Map:Sri Lanka Galle
Colors:Maroon and white
Song:Desha subushitha da abhimane
Houses: Ashoka
Gemunu
Prakrama
Sangabo

Vidyaloka College is a boys' school in Galle, Sri Lanka. The school was established on 14 January 1941 by philanthropist Henry Woodward Amarasuriya under the patronage of Venerable Weliwitiye Punyasara Thera.[1] It is a national school which accommodates over 3,100+ students and provides primary and secondary education to them.[2] The school was re-constructed after it was badly affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. Students are divided into four houses according to their admission number. These houses are named after four ancient kings of Sri Lanka.The college provides education to about 3,100+ students from grade 1 to grade 13 and it is regarded as one of the leading boys' schools in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka.

School boundaries

The land named, Kekiri Obada Watta, where the school is located stretches up to the Wackwella road to the east, Vidyaloka Lane to the north, Sri Devamitta Mawatha to the West and Queens Cinema to the south. It is located on flat land of about of situated in the middle of Galle.

Past principals

Sports

Vidyaloka College is one of the best sports schools in the southern province. Sports at the college include Athletics, Kabaddi, Boxing, Chess, Cricket, Rugby, Soccer, Swimming, Volleyball, Table tennis, Badminton, Gymnastics, Carrom, Hokey and Karate.

Cricket

Battle of the Glory of Galle is an annual one day encounter cricket match played between the cricket teams of Vidyaloka College and St. Aloysius' College. The contest commenced in 2019.

By 2024, four annual competitions have been held with St. Aloysius' College having won three 3 times, while Vidyaloka College has yet to win. In 2024, the match ended in a draw due to bad weather conditions.[3] Along with this, a one-day competition of under 15 is also held annually. The matches are be held at the Galle International Stadium...

The school previously played a two-day encounter, Friends Battle, against Meepawala Amarasuriya Vidyalaya on February every year at the Galle International Cricket Ground. The matches between these two colleges begun in 1998 and all the matches had been drawn. The competition finished in 2012.[4]

Notable alumni

Education

NameNotabilityReference
founding professor of physics University of Kelaniya, founding president Institute of Physics, Sri Lanka[5]
Governor of the Central Bank, Vice Chancellor University of Colombo (1994 - 1999), Economist[6]
Vice Chancellor, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka

Politics

NameNotabilityReference
member parliament (Galle 1994 - 2001)[7]
Minister for Education and higher education (1994-2000), minister for State Administration, Home Affairs and Administration Reforms (2000–01), member of Sri Lankan parliament (1983-2001)[8]

Sports

NameNotabilityReference
international cricket player (2004 - present)[9]
Sri Lankan Cricketer[10]

Arts and media

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://vidyalokaoba.com/history-of-the-college/ History of the College
  2. http://archives.dailynews.lk/2005/04/05/news29.htm Re-construction project at Vidyaloka College, Galle
  3. https://www.dailynews.lk/2024/10/10/sports/648919/4th-glory-of-the-galle-l-o-cricket-encounter-today/
  4. https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/daily-mirror-sri-lanka/20120223/294660527966963
  5. http://www.kln.ac.lk/science/depts/physics/docs/Appreciation%20Prof%20C%20Dahanayake-English.pdf Appreciation-Professor C. Dahanayake
  6. https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2007/10/28/spe02.asp Love & Appreciation - Professor W.D. Lakshman
  7. http://vidyalokaoba.com/prestigiousoldboys.php Old Vidyalokians
  8. http://archives.dailynews.lk/2010/05/08/pol02.asp Pathirana’s service irreparable - Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva
  9. http://www.sundaytimes.lk/040905/funday/2.html The fast and the furious
  10. https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/ashan-randika-1082298