Our Alma Mater came into being and launched out on her journey of intellectual endeavors, spiritual decimation and excellence in sports on August 1816. Her journey took her through chartered and unchartered territories. But she always achieved what was noble and good.to the ideals to which she stood for. Her dreams and aspirations always reflected the goals and objectives of the community in which she grew and prospered for the last 183 glorious years.
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It may be said in all humility that she has surpassed the wildest dreams of the founders- recognized as a National College. She continues to play. as in the past, her major role in moulding productive citizens not only from the peninsula but also from the four corners of our beautiful Island. Our College believed, instilled and practiced equality, fairplay, and justice in all its endeavors, thanks to the visionary principals and enlightened teachers who presided over the destinies of the students entrusted to them. Those who walked through the arches of the college have gone on to excel in the professions of their choice and contributed and still contribute their share to the richness and dignity of the communities in which they found themselves both locally and internationally.
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Dr S. C. Paul the first Surgeon (General Hospital, Colombo), Prof A. Kandiah (Prof of Chemistry, University college of Ceylon & the first Srilankan to be awarded the doctorate of science D.Sc), Prof. A. W. R. Mylvaganam (the pioneer Srilankan physicist), the Great Hindu savant and reformer Sri La Sri Arumuga Navalar and the outstanding school boy athlete N. Ethirveerasingham (first school boy athlete to represent in the Olympics, Helsinki, 1952) are some of the numerous distinguished personalities.
Some have had the singular fortune of becoming principals and teachers to carry the philosophy of our Alma Mater into many other colleges and schools and presided over their destinies. The premier HIndu school in Jaffna had central old boys Messrs Nevins Selvadurai, A. Coomaraswamy, and V. M. Asaipillai as its principals since 1910 for more than five decades. The History of our Alma Mater is intertwined with the History of our Motherland. As we march head erect into the next millennium we know who we are and where we are going.
