Celebrating 147 Years of Wesley College Colombo
23 February 2021 12:05 am
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Wesley College Colombo - founded on the 2nd of March 1874 is named after John Wesley the Founder of the Methodist Church. On Founder's Day the 2nd of March which is also the death anniversary of Rev. John Wesley, the Wesley Fraternity celebrate the memory of their Founder the Rev. Daniel Henry Pereira. Out of the 177 Methodist schools which belonged to the Methodist Church, 175 schools were taken over by the government in 1960, and only Wesley College Colombo and Methodist College Colombo remain under The Methodist Church.
This year 2021 is the 147th Anniversary of Wesley College. The greatness of Wesley is that even though it was founded to be a Christian Boys School, in the last 146 years it welcomed thousands of boys from different Religions and Ethnicities to be educated at Wesley, while upholding and maintaining its Distinct Christian Identity.
The Vision of Wesley is - To be the Premier Christian secondary educational institute and to provide men of stature and integrity to be leaders in the technologically advancing environment. The Mission of Wesley is - To inculcate Christian values and provide opportunities to develop latent potential and skills to lead the nation.
The Current President of the OBU Colombo Sri Shanmugalingamn, The Principal Mr. Avanka Fernando, and Rev. Ebenezer Joseph - The Head of the Methodist Church and Manager of Wesley - all had their Education at Wesley College. They are working together towards great projects planned for the 150 years Celebrations, for the betterment of Academics and Sports at Wesley and taking it to greater heights. They are working on a Rs. 160 Million Sports Complex Project, in collaboration with the OBU.
Branches overseas to mark the 150 Years Celebration of Wesley. The Old Boys Union Colombo, together with the OBU’s overseas has been involved in many projects and infrastructure giving the best facilities, which are beneficial to the present and future students of Wesley.
Unfortunately many restrictions due to the Pandemic which brought the whole world to a standstill, the projects and activities which were planned out, were curtailed to a great extent.
Some of the Illustrious Old Boys Produced By Wesley:
- Sir Oliver Goonetilleke – the 1st Ceylonese Governor-General (1954–1962),
- Sir Don Baron Jayatilaka - President of the Colombo Y.M.B.A, Freedom fighter and Leader of the State Council,
- Sir Claude Corea - President of the UN Security Council, Chairman of the UN Interim Committee on International Commodity Arrangements of GATT, Representative to the United Nations, President of the Ceylon National Congress, Ceylonese Representative in the United Kingdom, First Ceylonese Ambassador to the United States.
- D. M. Rajapaksa - Known as the Lion of Ruhuna and a member of The State Council of Ceylon,
- Sir Mohamed Macan Markar - Member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon,
- Sir Gerard Wijeyekoon - the first President of the Senate of Ceylon and Member Legislative Council of Ceylon,
- Mahadevan Sathasivam - International Legendary Cricketer
- Deshamanya Chitrasena - internationally known for his work in establishing and popularizing traditional Sri Lankan dance forms worldwide.
- Dr. V.T. Herat Gunaratne - Regional Director Emeritus South-East Asia Region, World Health Organization.
- Professor Mohamed Mahroof Ismail – Member and Consultant of the WHO Expert Committee on Lymphatic Filariasis, Chairman of the Board of Management of the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine of Sri Lanka; Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Colombo and Director of the Medical Research Institute.
- E. F. C. Ludowyk - Shakespearean Scholar, Author, Playwright and Critic, The First Professor of English University of Ceylon and the First Dean of Arts in the University in Peradeniya,
- David Loos - Renowned diplomat
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- Hussain Jiffry - First Sri Lankan to win the Prestigious Grammy Award for the Best Pop Instrumental Album at the 56th Grammy Awards in 2014.
- Rienzie T. Wijetilleke – A Colossus in Sri Lanka’s banking industry,
- Associate Professor Dylan Bartholomeusz – Consultant Nuclear Medicine, PET, Bone Densitometry and Clinical and Procedural Gastroenterology in Adelaide,
- Emeritus Professor J. E. Jayasuriya - First Regional Adviser on Population Education for Asia and the Pacific for UNESCO
- Air Vice-Marshal Rohan Ameresekere - First Ceylonese Commander of the Royal Ceylon Air Force,
- Air Chief Marshal Terrence Gunawardane - The 8th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force
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- Farveez Maharoof - Sri Lankan Cricketer, who captained the Sri Lankan team for the Under 19 World Cup in 2004. He was the adjudged the Observer School Boy cricketer of the year 2003 and played in all three formats of the game – Test Cricket, 50 Overs, and the T20’s and till recently was in the Sri Lanka Cricket Administration..
- A. Mylvaganam – One of the best players produced by Wesley and Sri Lanka, and better known as “The Hockey Wizard’ who captained the All-Ceylon Team.
- Mr. P. De S. Kularatne – Principal of Ananda College,
- E.W. Adikaram - Social Activist and a Philosopher, Founded Multiple Schools - Anula Vidyalaya, Ananda Balika Maha Vidyalaya Kotte and Ananda Sastralaya Kotte,
- Walisinghe Harischandra - Social Reformer, Historian and Author,
- M. H. Mohamed - Speaker of Sri Lanka Parliament and Mayor of Colombo,
- And Many More……………..
May these Brilliant Old Boys of Wesley be an inspiration to the Present and Future generations of Wesleyites. Ora Et Labora !
Wilhelm Van Dort - Past President (OBU Colombo)