Nalanda College () is a Buddhist school in Sri Lanka that provides primary and secondary education for boys. The school was founded by Buddhist educator Patrick de Silva Kularatne as an offshoot of Ananda College, Colombo, and was officially registered as a separate institution on 1 November 1925.

History In 1922, a section of Ananda College was relocated to Campbell Place, Colombo, following a proposal from Kularatne. L. H. Mettananda was appointed principal of the institution, which became known as the Ananda branch. W. E. Fernando served as headmaster, and Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero became its first Buddhist teacher.

In 1922, the Governor of Ceylon laid the school's foundation stone. In 1924, Kularatne spent Rs. 5,500 to purchase of land near the Campbell Place playground and built sixteen classrooms for the new school, including three for laboratory use and two containing the principal and staff offices. A total of 330 students from Ananda were transferred under the care of Mettananda in 1924.Character illuminates wisdom at Nalanda

Kularatne helped register the institution as a separate school on 1 November 1925. The new school was given its motto, Apadana Sobhini Panna, while the school name Nalanda was proposed by Ananda Maitreya Thero. The English and Sinhala versions are "Character illumines Wisdom" and "Yahapath Charithayen Praggnawa Opanangwe", respectively. Ananda Maitreya Thero selected this motto from the Anguttara Nikaya, Tika Nipata, Bala Waggo Lakkhana Sutta.

On 1 January 1926, Kularatne appointed Dr. Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera as the first registered principal of the newly formed Nalanda College,Gunapala Malalasekera - the Illustrious Professor (1899-1973): A True Guide, Philosopher and Leader and transferred Mettananda back to Ananda College as vice principal. Malalasekara launched several projects, making plans for the collection of funds for the construction of buildings, and later commenced a bulletin titled Nalanda. He also arranged 15-minute talks on Buddhism at the daily students' assembly and took many steps to promote the Buddhist environment in the school.

Kularatne laid the foundation stone for a second building on 30 March 1926. By the end of 1926, the number of students had increased to 550. Later, he borrowed money from Anagarika Dharmapala to purchase land for the primary section, which was then settled by Malalasekara. The student assembly hall, Malalasekara Theater, is named after him.

Academics Students of Nalanda College have participated in national-level examinations, with some achieving high grades in O-Level and A-Level exams, as well as in various sports competitions.

Awards In 2011, Nalanda students won first place in the world at the Oracle Thinkquest Application Development. They also won first place in the International Students Biotechnology Competition and the 14th place in the International Convention on Students' Quality Control Circles, held in Lucknow, India. Students of Nalanda College, Colombo, have also participated in research activities. In 2017, a student of the Research Forum won a silver medal for his research work, "Deposition of air pollutants on pollen grains and occurrence of respiratory allergies among humans," at the International Conference of Young Scientists in Germany.

Nalanda College Communication Unit

Nalanda College Communication Unit (Sinhala: නාලන්දා විද්‍යාලයීය ජනසන්නිවේදන ඒකකය), also known as The Communication Unit of Nalanda College or NCCU Studios, is the official school communication society of Nalanda College. Established in 1986, Nalanda College Communication Unit has been working as a school communication society in Sri Lanka up to the present.

Nalanda College began its media work on 24 May 1926, by launching a school newspaper Nalanda Pravurthi (Sinhala: නාලන්දා ප්‍රවෘත්ති, lit: Nalanda News) in accordance to the Nalanda Kusum Dina Campaign by professor Gunapala Malalasekara, principal at that time. In 1927, a school magazine Nalanda Sangarawa (Sinhala: නාලන්දා සඟරාව, lit: Nalanda Magazine) was launched.

Nalanda College's communication network was founded in 1986 under the name Nalanda College Communication Unit, carrying the motto Muhukura Nagena Janasanniwedanaye Abhimanaya (Sinhala: මුහුකුරා නැගෙන ජනසන්නිවේදනයේ අභිමානය, lit: The Pride of Emerging Mass Communication). A pioneer in school-level media, the unit grew from its origins into a structured institution open to students from Grade 6 through Advanced Levels.

Today, the unit upholds that legacy by producing some of Sri Lanka's most recognized school television and radio broadcasts, organizing All-Island Media Day Competitions, and extending its reach across digital platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Magazine

'Nalanda' magazine started as a bimonthly magazine to bring forth the language skills of Nalanda young journalists, presumably with the foundation introduced with 'Nalanda Pravurthi' and 'Nalanda Sangarawa' in the early days of Nalanda College. The magazine continued until its final issue in 1978. It started again as a newspaper in 1998 June following the guidance of the principal at that time: Mr. Edward Ranasinghe. Under the motto 'Sin: විමර්ශනාත්මක මනසකින් යුතු මාධ්‍යවේදීන් බිහි වේවා.' (Let journalists with an investigative mind be born) this newspaper captured peer fame as writers from surrounding schools were also encouraged to write articles for the magazine.

In October 2012, the first issue of 'Livseriya' (Sihhala: ලිව්සැරිය): a trimonthly newspaper, was published by Nalanda College Communication Unit under the directions of the principal Mr. J. H. M. W. Ranjith Jayasundara, only to be canceled after the first issue.

Despite the previous setbacks, Nalanda College Communication Unit relaunched the 'Nalanda' trimonthly magazine in 2018, this time with a steady foundation to ensure a continuous publication. The magazine continues to publish until the present enabling the linguistic development of students, teachers, and past pupils of Nalanda College.

Television Broadcasts

Source: 2005 – Nalanda TV (Sri Lanka's first ever school TV broadcast) 2008 – Nalanda TV (Sri Lanka’s first-ever school TV broadcast using Chroma Technology) 2009 – Nalanda TV 2012 – Nalanda TV (Sri Lanka’s first-ever school TV broadcast using IPTV Technology) 2013 – Nalanda TV 2019 – Nalanda TV 2021 – Nalanda TV

Radio Stations Source: 1996 – Ecstasy of Nalanda 1997 – Nalandasara 1998 – Nalandasara 1999 – Nalandasara 1999 – Broadcasting of a radio channel parallel to the 75th anniversary of Nalanda College 2001 – Ecstasy of Nalanda 2005 – Nalandasara 2006 – Nalandasara 2007 – Nalandasara (Sri Lanka’s first-ever school Web Radio broadcast) 2008 – Nalandasara 2010 – Nalandasara 2011 – Nalandasara 2012 – Nalandasara 2025 – Nalandasara(Centenary Celebration of Nalanda College)

All-island Bilingual Announcing Competitions and Media Days Source: 2004 – Sambhasha 2005 – Sambhasha 2006 – Sambhasha 2007 – Sambhasha 2008 – Sambhasha 2009 – Sambhasha 2010 – Sambhasha 2011 – Sambhasha 2012 – Sambhasha Twenty'12 2013 – Sambhasha 2014 – Sambhasha 2015 – Sambhasha 2016 – Sambhasha 2017 – Sambhasha 2023 – Sambhasha 2024 – Sambhasha

Board of Officials of the Communication Unit The Board of Officials is responsible for the administration of the Nalanda College Communication Unit. Each year the old batch resigns after nourishing their successors with the customs and traditions of the supremacy since 1986.

Presidents of the Communication Unit Source: NameYearMahendra Padmakumara2004/2005Ruwan Kumanayaka2005/2006Dananjaya Weerasinghe2006/2007Tilan Liyanage2007/2008Thilina Disanayake2008/2009Shan Piyumal2009/2010Gihan Samarawickrama2010/2011Ranga Dunuwila2011/2012Eranda Sanchagodage2012/2013Yasas Vimukthi Gunawardana2013/2014Tharindu Ransika2014/2015Kanishka Nirmal2014/2015Ruchira Warnakulasooriya2015/2016Kasun Abeykoon2016/2017Sahan Vishwajith de Alwis2017/2018Chethiya Korala2018/2019Akila Arampath2019/2020Dasun Sankalpa2020/2021Hiruna Chathurya2022/2023Sasindu Dilshan2023/2024Shalin Piyumal2024/2025Kisara Vonal2026/2027

2026/2027 - Board of Officials of the Communication Unit (Current) Source: PositionNamePrincipalU.D.Iran Champika Silva Chief InstructorVen. K.Sumedha TheroChief Teacher In ChargeGayani MirihagallaTeachers In ChargeWasana Payagala, Ayomi Kandegedara, Ramya WanigasekaraPresidentKisara VonalSecretaryYehen WijewarnakulaTreasurerNisith GamageVice PresidentDananja MihiranChief OrganizerTharusha AlwisOrganizersPabod Sanjuna Manohara,Senehas Dissanayake,Naditha Bimulaka,Thisuka WeerakoodiChief Co-ordinatorNethula DissanayakeCo-ordinatorsSaviru Hemachandra,Sanija Damwin,Binuka Thennakoon,Tharul Bandara

Old Nalandians' Communication Unit Nalanda College has many gifted alumni and among them, there are many people associated with the industry of communication: Name Notability Editor of The Ceylon Observer (1961-1970) Poet, former Director of Sinhala Service of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Poet, songwriter, created history in the world of radio by being the first-ever Sinhala cricket commentator over airwaves of Radio CeylonÄ Premasara Epasinghe Cricket Commentator, Private Secretary and Media Consultant to Minister of Education, former Head of Public Relations Bank of Ceylon Newspaper Columnist Television and radio presenter; actor Former Deputy Director General (Commercial) of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, former Director of Sinhala Service Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and a cricket commentator Columnist of Toronto Star, Ontario, Canada Theatre, television and cinema director "Siri Aiya" of Radio Ceylon Writer, poet and a dental surgeon

Campbell Place

The College's playground, Campbell Place,From Ananda Mawatha to Campbell PlaceLook out for these lads from Campbell Place is named after Sir George William Campbell, the first Inspector General of Police of British Ceylon.Renaming Colombo Roads – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly The adjoining road, previously called Campbell Place, has been renamed Ananda Rajakaruna Mawatha, in recognition of Ananda Rajakaruna, a pioneer of Sinhala poetry.Ananda Rajakaruna: He wrote poems for childrenOur Heritage

Sports Nalanda College has a playground at Campbell Place, a sports complex, a squash court, a swimming pool, a shooting range, a boxing ring,A boxing ring for Nalanda and other sports facilities including:

Athletics Archery Badminton Baseball Basketball BoxingNalanda gets a boxing ring many years after producing an Olympian Cadet Platoon Cadet Band ChessFourteen year old Nalandian Susal youngest Fide Master in Sri Lanka Gymnastics Hockey Martial Arts – Karate, WushuNalanda College won Kumithe category championship Rugby Football Rowing Rifle Shooting Soccer (Football) Squash Swimming Tennis Volleyball Water Polo

Cricket Battle of the Maroons