The dreams of several
generation of Tamils, particularly the Hindus, living in and around the city of
Colombo was
fulfilled in 1951. The 12th of February 1951 was a red letter day. On that day
was founded the Pillaiyar Padasalai with 48 students and a few volunteer
teachers.
Mr.Pathamanathan was the
first Principal. This was in sequence to the fervent made by a large of the
Hindus residing in Colombo.
Today this school has
blossomed into the formant Tamil
Medium National
School in the western
province. This has been due to the efforts of the founder members and the
encouragement, Co-Operation, Assistance And Unstrings Generosity of Parents,
Old Boys And Wel-Wishers.
The initial task of the
founders was to find money to launch The School Project and their target was to
collect One Million Rupees. A Pamphlet, 10000 copies in English and 5000 copies
in Tamil was published on the 20th February 1951.
“We have thought it proper
to call upon ourselves – 24 founder members of The Hindu Educational Society-
To make the initial sacrifice in This Great Cause. We Felt That We Could Not Be
Justified In Appealing To The Public For Contributions Without First Providing
Tangble Proof Of Our Own Earnestness To Make This Big Venture A Success. Some
of the 24 Members Cannot Contribute Much, but Still We Have Put Up One Lakh of
Rupees, the Money Required Immediately For the Establishment of the Primary
School”.
In The Month Of March 1951
The Pillaiyar Padasalai Was Shifted To The Present Premises. Mr.T.Sathasivam
Was The First Head Master Of The School.
The School Started In a
Small in a Humble Building and As the Number of Students Increased Over the
Years, More and More Buildings Were Put Up To Accommodate Them.
In January 1953, Classes
Up To The Senior Were Commenced. But On The 1st Of January 1955 Classes Above
The Fifth Grade Were Transferred To The Then Newly-Established Hindu College At
Ratmalana. The Primary School Continued To Function At Bambalapitiya. There Was
However Only One Principal for the Two Institutions.
Mr.N.Satyendra Was
Appointed Principal On The 1st Of January 1957. Thereafter Mr.T.Subramaniam Was
Appointed Principal On The 1st January 1959. Both Schools (Hindu College At
Bambalapitiya) Came Under The Control Of The Education Ministry. Then
Mr.S.Ambalavanar Was Appointed Principal.
Soon After The Take-Over,
Parents Of The Students Of The Bambalapitiya School Insisted That It Should
Function Independently Of The Ratmalana School And That It Should Also Conduct
Classes Up To The Senior Grade.
Former Senator
Mr.T.Neethirajah Laid The Foundation Stone For The First Three Storeyed Block
Of Class Room On The 3rd Of March 1966.The Block Was Completed Within A Short
Period And There After , The Expansion Of The School Gathered Momentum To Meet
The First-Growing Needs Of The Hindu Tamil Community.
Mr.P.Nalliah Was Appointed
Principal on 01.01.1967 and the School Was Upgraded and Named “Hindu Junior
School”. At The Same Time, It Started To Function, Independently Of Hindu
College, Ratmalana. Mr.I.M.R.A.Iriyagolle, The Hon. Minister Of Education
Declared Open A New Three-Storeyed Block Of Class Rooms.
The Students Of The School
Were Divided In Four Houses With A View To Promote A Healthy Spirit Of
Competitiveness Amongst The Students. Being A Tamil Hindu School The “Houses”
Were Named After Four Famous Tamil Figures- Valluvar, Kambar, Elango And
Bharathi. The Colours Assigned To The “Houses” Were Blue, Green, Yellow And Red
Respectively.
These “Houses” Brought Out
The Talents And Competitive Spirit Of The Students In Sports, Aesthetics And
Academic Activities. The First Inter-House Sports Meet Was Held In 1968. In
1969 The College Band Formed And It Is Being Actively Used At Various Functions
And Events Related To The School. On 28th March 1969 The First Prize-Giving Of
The Hindu Junior School Was Held With The Hon. Prime Minister Mr. Dudley
Senanayake As The Chief Guest.
A Tamil Cultural Show Was
Held Under The Patronage Of Mr.K.B.Ratnayake, The Hon. Minister Of
Parliamentary Affairs And Sports On The 5th Of August 1970. Mr.P.Nalliah
Retired As Principal On 31st December 1970 And Mr.V.Shanmugaragah Took Over As
Acting Principal On 5th January 1971.
Mr.T.Sangaraligam Was
Appointed Principal On 15th February 1971.In The Years That Followed Four More
Multi Storeyed Blocks Of Class Rooms, A Fully-Equipped Science Laboratory, An
Administration Block As Well As An Assembly Hall Were Constructed In Rapid Succession
With The Active Support, Co-Operation And The Generosity Of The Parents, Alumni
And Well-Wishers Of The College.
Senator Mr.C.Kumarasuriar,
The Hon. Minister Of Posts And Telecommunications, Laid The Foundation Stone
For The Second Three-Block Of Class Rooms. The Grade Nine Classes Commenced On
The 1st Of January 1973. "Brindhavanam Carnival" was held for One
Week In July 1973.
Senator Al. Haj Badiuddin
Mohamed, The Hon. Minister Of Education Declared Open The Second Three-Storeyed
Block Of Class Rooms. Members Of The Parent Teachers Association Laid The
Foundation Stone For The Silver Jubilee Block Of Classrooms The Third Three
Storeyed Block. From 3rd April 1975 The School Began To Function As A
One-Session School.
In 1974 The College
Commenced Classes For The General Certificate Of Education (Ordinary Level).
Three Years Later, In1977 Classes For The General Certificate Of Education
(Advance Level), Were Started And The Name Of The School Was Change To Colombo
Hindu College. The Silver Jubilee Block The Third Three –Storeyed Building Was
Formally Declared Open By The Hon. Prime Minister Srimavo Bandaranayke On 31st
May 1976.
Mr.Nissanka Wijeyeratne
The Hon.Minister Of Education Laid The Foundation Stone For The Fourth
Three-Storeyed Block Of Class Rooms On 5th April 1978 And President
J.R.Jeyawardane Formally Declared Open The President’s Block On 17th January
1979.
Mr.V.Balasubramaniyam
Gifted A Well-Equipped Science Laboratory To The College In 1979. The
Administration Block Which Also Includes, The Principal’s Office, The Reception
Room, The College Office, The Library And The Staff -Room Was Built And Donated
By Cinema Magnate, Mr.K.Gunaratnam. Mr.Anura Bastian Member Of Parliament
(Colombo West) Laid The Foundation Stone For The Fifth Three-Storeyed Block Of
Class Rooms On 14th June 1979 And President J.R.Jeyawardane Declared The
Building Open. A Technical Workshop Was Formally Declared Open By
Mr.K.Periyasamy On 9th September 1979. Members Of The Parent Teachers’
Association Laid Foundation Stone For The College Assembly Hall Was Laid On 5th
December 1979 And It Was Informally Commissioned On 11th March 1983.
The Foundation Stones For
A Sister-School The Ramanathan Hindu Ladies’ College Were Laid By
Messrs.C.Renganathan Q.C, Mr.D.M.Swaminathan And Mr.T.Sangaralingam On 14th
November 1980. Mr.R.Premadasa, The Hon. Prime Minister Formally Declared Open
The New Administration Block. On 6th February 1981.
In July 1983 The College
Premises Became A Refugee Camp For Tamils Affected By The Communal Disturbance.
As The School Was A Refugee Camp Classes Up To Grade Eight Commenced Under
Mrs.P.Thuraiyah At Roman Catholic Tamil Mixed School At Lauries Road,
Bambalapitiya, Whilst Classes From Grade Nine Upwards Commenced Under
Mrs.K.Gangesan At The Isipathana Maha Vidyalaya, Havelock Town On 13th October
1983, Class Re-Commenced At The College Premises After The Refugee Camp Was
Closed Down On 1st January 1984. On 17th May 1985 Mr.T.Sangaralingam Went
Abroad And Mr.S.Patkunam Was Appointed Acting Principal.
Mr.D.R.Rajalingam Assumed
Duties As The Eighth Principal Of The College On 15th January 1986. College
Alumnus And Proprietor Of Meihandan Press R.Aruljothinathan Formally Declared
open The Renovated College Canteen. The Old Boy’s Association Was Formed On
28th September 1986. The Hon. Minister Of Regional Development, Hindu Religious
And Hindu Cultural Affairs Mr.Chelliah Rajadurai Declared Open The Pavilion On
Friday 1987-05-29.
The Foundation Stone For
The Viththaga Vinayagar Temple Was Laid In 1987 And The Kumbabisheham Was Held
In February 1988. The Humedica & Dental Surgery Was Declared Open By
Dr.Peter Wienand, Deputy Ambassador Of Federal Republic Of Germany On 9th
August 1990. In 1990 Mr.D.R.Rajalingam Was Transferred To The Department Of
Examinations And Mrs.V.Sundaramoorthy Acted As Principal For Sometime Till
Mr.Srirajasingam Was Appointed Principal. In The Middle Of 1990 Mr.B.S.Sarma
Was Appointed Principal. The Foundation Stone For The Pulendran Block Of Class
Rooms Was Laid By Hon. Deputy Minister Of Education Mrs.R.M.Pulenbran On
21-11-0990 And Mrs.R.M.Pulendran Who Was The Chief Guest At 40th Anniversary
Celebration Declared Open The Building. The Canadian Old Boy’s Association Was
Formed On 27th January 1991. The Government Declared The School As A National
School On 11-09-0991. The School Organized A Cultural Festival For 7 Days In
October 1991 During The S.A.A.R.C. Conference.
The Hon. President
Ranasinghe Premadasa Formally Declared Open The President Block On 27th January
1994. Mr.T.Muthukumarasamy Was Appointed Principal In 1996. In 1997 Computer
classes was started. In 1998 Foundation for new three-Storeyed building was
laid by Hon Minister of Transport and Highways A.H.M Fowzie, MP. Hindu College
Development Trust Was Created In 1999. A Botanical Garden Was Opened On 17th
February 2000. 12th February 2001 Golden Jubilee Celebrations commenced. Fifty
traditional oil lamps were lit and fifty school flags were hoisted by well
wishers of the school. 2nd November 2001 The Indoor Sports Stadium was opened.
2nd of December Golden Jubilee “Colors Nite” was organized by the O.B.A. 11th
February 2002 Opening ceremony of the Primary Library, Computer Laboratory, New
Canteen and the renovated Library. Releasing of the Golden Jubilee Commemorative
Cover.
On the 30th September 2002
Mr.Manilal Fernanda, Chairman of the Football Federation, declared open the
newly constructed playground which gives a new look for the sports at Hindu
College.
GCE A/L 2003 Batch funded
for the Multimedia Projector. The students of G.C.E (A/L) 2004 batch
constructed the college front entrance arch. The students of G.C.E(A/L) 2005
batch donated floor tiles to pave the passage.
The OBA constructed a
scoreboard with fully equipped office underneath - declared opened the same in
2004. Mr.Ponnampalam Ramanathan (a well wisher) constructed a Basket ball court
for our college in memory of his wife, Mrs.Manovathana Ramanathan.
2005 February the official
web site redesigned with more facts and a web portal also included in this
release. A w@P site also released
Thanks to - WikipediA
1) www.colombohindu.com
2)
www.hinducollegeonline.org
Also read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombo_Hindu_College