S. Thomas' College, Gurutalawa

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S.Thomas' College Gurutalawa
S.Thomas' College Crest
Location
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Gurutalawa, Welimada

Sri Lanka
Information
TypePrivate
MottoEsto Perpetua(Be Thou Forever)
Established12 May 1942; 79 years ago (1942-05-12)
FounderDr R. L. Hayman
GenderBoys
Color(s)Blue and Black
AffiliationAnglican
Former pupilsOld Thomians[1]
Websitehttps://www.stcguru.edu.lk

S. Thomas' College, Gurutalawa is a private Christian school situated in Gurutalawa, in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka. It is an Anglican school administrated by the Church of Ceylon.[2]

Administration[]

The College forms a branch of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, which is under the Anglican Church of Ceylon, is run by a Board of Governors which is chaired by the Anglican Bishop of Colombo, who is also known as the "Visitor of the College". The administration of the College in itself is headed by a headmaster who is an Anglican priest. Admission to the College is at the sole discretion of the headmaster.

Affiliations[]

History[]

S. Thomas' College in Gurutalawa was founded by Dr. in 1942,[3][4] as a branch of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia. A farm with some land and buildings was donated to the college by Mr. & Mrs. Leslie de Saram.

Due to the Japanese war threats to Colombo, during World War II, the State Council decided in February 1942 to close all schools in the Colombo District. There were over 700 boys at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia and as the Warden explored possibilities of opening branches inland, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie De Seram made the generous offer of their 45-acre (180,000 m2) farm at Gurutalawa.

Current status[]

The College is a fully fledged school catering to extracurricular activities with a swimming pool and has facilities for nearly all sports including athletics, cricket, basketball, rugby, volleyball, squash, soccer, table tennis, hockey, badminton, swimming as well as activities like scouting, hiking and trekking. There is also the encouragement for a variety of societies and clubs, debating, oratory, oriental dancing and music.

Headmaster[]

Dr D Phil (Oxon) 1942 1945
Mr C. H. L. Davidson, MA 1946 1947
Dr W. R. L. Hayman, D Phil (Oxon) 1948 1962
Rev. Canon A. J. Foster, MA (Oxon) 1963 1964 (Acting)
Mr A. K. Chapman, BSc 1965 (Acting)
Mr K. Dassanayake 1965 (Acting)
Dr F. Jayasinghe, BA (London), PhD 1965 1968
Mr E. L. Perera, BSc (London), 1st Class Trained 1968 1974
Mr M. L. C. Ilangakoon, BSc (London), AICTA 1975 1977
Mr S. C. H. De Silva, BA (London), Dip Ed. (Lond.), Dip in School Admin (Indiana) 1977 1981
Mr E. St. P. Gunawardene, BA (Cey.), Dip. Ed. 1982 1987
Mr. J. De S. Jayasinghe (Acting)
Mr. J. B. Gunasegaram, BSc, Msc (NY), MIMech. E. (Lond.), FIE (SL), C. Eng. 1988 1989
Rev. Fr. H C Goodchild 1989 1990 (Acting)
Mr C. B. Ratnayake, BSc (Cey.), Trained 1990 1997
Mr L. A. M. Chandrasekera, BA (Hons. Econ), Dip. Ed. 1997 1999 (Acting)
Mr I. A. Fernando, BA 1999 2001
Mr G. C. Mendis, MA 2001 2003
Mr E. G. J. Canagasabey, BSc 2004 2006
Mr. J. Huyghebaert, MA 2007 (Acting)
Rev. N. M. P. Billimoria, BA (Poona), PG Dip. Theo. (Oxon.), Dip. Min. TG (Ripon-Cuddesdon) 2007 2012
Revd, Nihal Fernando, B.Phil,(Rome), B.Th, Rome, B.A.(SL), Dip.in Couns,(Dallas) 2012 2017
Ven.S.P.Nesakumar, B.Th (Serem), PG Dip in Edu (SL) MA (UJ), M.Min.(In) Dip in Ecum (Geneve) 2018 Present

Notable alumni[]

See also: List of St. Thomas' College alumni and Category:Alumni of S. Thomas' College, Gurutalawa
  • Bradmon Weerakoon - Civil Servant and served as the Secretary to the several number of prime ministers (Such as Sir.John Kotelawala, Solomon Bandaranaike, Wijayananda Dahanayake, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Dudley Senanayake, Ranasinghe Premadasa, Dingiri Banda Wijetunga, Chandrika Kumaratunga & Ranil Wickremesinghe)
  • General Ranjan Wijeratne - Former Cabinet Minister of foreign affairs, Minister of State for defense[5][6]
  • Revd. Dr. Lakshman Wickremasinghe - Bishop in the Church of England and Human Rights activist
  • Buddhika Kurukularatne - Former Member of Parliament, Attorney at Law, social worker and author
  • Sarath Muttetuwegama - Former Member of Parliament for Kalawana Seat, Ratnapura District
  • Ananda Kumarasiri - Current Deputy Speaker of the Sri Lanka Parliament, Current member of the Sri lanka parliament for Wellawaya Seat, Monaragala District
  • Keerthi Thennakoon - Current Governor of the Central Province of Sri Lanka, Former Governor of the Southern Province of Sri Lanka
  • Jagath Pushpakumara - Former Minister of Coconut Development and Janatha Estate Development, Former Non-Cabinet Minister of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development, Former Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries, Agriculture, Social Services, Samurdhi, Poverty Alleviation, Mahaweli Development, Livestock Development, Estate Infrastructure and Former Member of the Sri Lanka Parliament for Wellawaya Seat, Monaragala District
  • Dr.Frank de Silva - 24th Sri Lankan Inspector General of Police (IGP)
  • Ananda Dassanayake - Former Governor of the Uva Province of Sri Lanka & Former Member of the Sri Lanka Parliament
  • Clifford Ratwatte - Former Member of Parliament for Balangoda Seat, Former Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, Food, Co-operatives and Fisheries, Former Chairman of the State Plantations Corporation and the Sri Lanka Tea Board & The younger brother of Late Prime Minister of Ceylon, Sirimavo Bandaranaike Ratwatte
  • Nalanda Ellawala - Former Member of parliament for Ratnapura District & Former Member of Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council
  • Keheliya Rambukwella - Current Member of the Sri Lanka Parliament for Kandy District, Former Minister of Mass Media and Information, Former Member of The United National Party

References[]

  1. ^ Thomian Society of Colombo Dinner Theatre, a resplendent evening
  2. ^ Recollections of S. Thomas’ College, Gurutalawa
  3. ^ The ever ministering angel
  4. ^ The school in the hills
  5. ^ Late Minister Mr. Ranjan Wijeratne
  6. ^ All about General Ranjan Wijeratne Archived 2009-04-29 at the Wayback Machine

External links[]

Coordinates: 6°50′38″N 80°54′05″E / 6.84389°N 80.90139°E / 6.84389; 80.90139

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