# Rahula College

Rahula College (Sinhala: රාහුල විද්‍යාලය, romanized: Rāhula Vidyālaya) is a boys' school in Sri Lanka, located in Matara district. Though it was originally a private Buddhist school, now it is run by the Government of Sri Lanka as a National School. Rahula College has two sections - the Primary section, which serves students from Grade 1 to Grade 5, and the Secondary section, which serves students from Grade 6 to Grade 13.

## History

In 1921, Frederick Gordon Pearce (principal of Mahinda College, Galle), D.T.W. Rajapaksha Ralahami and Sir R. S. S. Gunawardana established the "Buddhists Society". On 1 May 1923, the Buddhists Society opened a school named Parakramabhahu Vidyalaya, in a rented building on Main Street, Matara. Parakramabhahu Vidyalaya's motto was "May I be a true Buddhist". Hewabowalage Yasapala was the first student. Parakramabhahu Vidyalaya was shifted to the "Saram Mudali Walawwa" which was donated by C. A. Odiris de Silva, with the new name of "Rahula College". C.A. Odiris de Silva's second son C.A. Ariyathilake, who also donated Matara's leading girls' school Sujatha Vidyalaya, donated this school to the government.
Rahula College currently has over 4,000 students.

## Principals

| | Period | Name |
| 1st | 1923 – 1932 | G. William De Silva |
| 2nd | 1932 – 1936 | C. Amirthalingam |
| 3rd | 1936 – 1937 | J. R. Bhatt |
| 4th | 1937 – 1956 | D. J. Kumarage |
| 5th | 1956 – 1973 | B. P. Ariyawansa |
| 6th | 1973 – 1979 | B. Suriarachchi |
| 7th | 1979 – 1983 | A. H. Godavitharana |
| 8th | 1983 – 1986 | P. Wijewardana |
| 9th | 1986 – 1987 | Mahinda Jagoda |
| 10th | 1987 – 1989 | N. Weerathunga |
| 11th | 1989 – 1990 | A. M. Liyanage |
| 12th | 1990 – 1998 | N. Ariyawansha |
| 13th | 1998 – 2002 | Sarath Gunarathna |
| 14th | 2002 – 2010 | Kithsiri Liyanagamage |
| 15th | 2010 – 2016 | Nimal Dissanayake |
| 16th | 2016 –2021 | Francis Welage |
| 17th | 2021 –2023 | Sudath Samarawickrama |
| 18th | 2023 –present | Samitha Kurukulasooriya |

## Primary section

Rahula Primary is located in Welegoda. It was established in 1991, at the site of the former Sudarshana Model School. There are classes from grade 1 to grade 5.

## Sports

Sports at the college include athletics, basketball, boxing, chess, cricket, rugby, soccer, swimming, volleyball, table tennis, badminton and karate.
The annual Rahula - Thomas football encounter or Battle of Golden Ensigns, is an annual football match played between Rahula College and St. Thomas' College, Matara.
In 2012 Rahula College and Dharmapala College commenced an annual match, the Battle of Golden Lions (රුහුණු -මායා සටන). The inaugural match was held on Uyanwatta Stadium, with Rahula College hosting the event.

## Houses

There are four student houses in the college, named after historical figures in South Asia. They are:
* Ashoka :
    Named after Ashoka. The house colour is red.
* Gemunu :
    Named after Dutugamunu. The house colour is blue.
* Parakrama :
    Named after Parakramabahu I. The house colour is yellow.
* Vijaya :
    Named after Prince Vijaya. The house colour is green.

## Notable alumni

Alumni of Rahula College Matara are called Rahulians. Following is a list of some notable alumni:
| Name | Notability |
| Nandalal Weerasinghe | 17th Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka |
| D. E. W. Gunasekera | MP - National List (2004-2015), Minister of Constitutional Reform (2004-2010) |
| Buddhika Pathirana | MP - Matara (2010–present) |
| K. Balapatabendi | Permanent Secretary to the President of Sri Lanka (1994-2003), former Chairman SriLankan Airlines |
| Dhammika Kitulgoda | former District Judge, Secretary General of Parliament (1999–2002, 2008–2012) |
| Gunasena Galappatty | Sri Lankan dramatist, Sinhala Radio Play writer |
| Victor Hettigoda | Sri Lankan entrepreneur |
| Suraj Randiv | Sri Lanka international cricketer (2010–present) |
| Pramodya Wickramasinghe | Sri Lanka international cricketer (1991-2002) |
| Asoka Abeygunawardana | Chairman/CEO Strategic Enterprise Management Agency (SEMA) |
| Sarath Wijesinghe | Senator (1947-1965), President of the Senate of Ceylon (1962-1965) |
| Amara Hewamadduma | former government agent, literary figure, historian |
| Tilake Abeysinghe | Internationally reputed painter and sculptor - awarded “Cavaliere of the Order of Merit" (knighthood) by the Italian Government. |
| Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena | Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs (February 2015 – May 2015), Minister of Agriculture (2010-2015), Minister of Cultural Affairs (2005–2010), Deputy Minister of Healthcare & Nutrition (2004–2005), Chief Minister of Southern Province (1994–2001) |
| Isuru Lokuhettiarachchi | Actor |