# Anuradhapura Central College

Anuradhapura Central College (Sinhala: මධ්‍ය විද්‍යාලය, අනුරාධපුර, Tamil: மத்திய கல்லூரி, அனுராதபுரம்) is a mixed educational establishment in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Anuradhapura Central College is a national school, which provides secondary education.

## History

Anuradhapura Central College, which is considered as the heart of Anuradhapura, is situated in Anuradhapura, the capital city of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. It was established on 21 July 1947, under the initiative of R. L. N. de Zoyza, in Rathmale area where the Rathmale Tissa Vidyalaya is situated today.
It was established to provide free education by the Minister of Education, Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara. It was the second Central College established in the North Central Province and one of the first 54 Central Colleges in the country. De Zoysa was the first principal and there were only seven teachers and twenty students in the school.
The school was later moved to its present location. In 1993 the school was promoted to a National School under the leadership of principal E. R. Erathna. In 2014, H. M. Abeykoon was appointed as the principal of the college, with a staff of 190 teachers and 4,800 students. The current principal of Anuradhapura Central College is J. M. P. M. Jayasundara.

## School traditions

The college motto is 'Asamu Daramu Haesirmu', meaning "Harken Memorise Act" in Sinhala. Its nickname is "Emeralds"

### School Anthem

"Namadimu baethi gee kusum puda" is the school song, which is sung at the start of the school day and on important occasions.

## Sports

Anuradhapura Central College has a notable history in sports, particularly cricket, volleyball and athletics. The school has won six all-island cricket championships, including Division II and Division III titles. In 2005, the school's Under-19 girls' volleyball team became all-island champions in the DSI Supersport Schools Volleyball Championship.

### Sports School

The school features an athletic academy aligned with the "sports school" concept implemented in certain remote central colleges to nurture rural talent. It offers boarding and meals to young athletes from the Anuradhapura District, with students admitted at age 13 based on their sports achievements. The school consistently excels in district-level and provicial-level tournaments and proceed talents to all-island games. In 2023, it secured the championship title at the North-Central Provincial School Games, further solidifying its reputation as a dominant force in the region. In 2019, the athletics team secured the Boys’ Championship trophy at the North-Central Provincial Sports Meet. The school also organizes an annual inter-house track-and-field tournament.

### Houses

The students are divided in to four houses, which are named after four great arahant theros. An annual track-and-field tournament among these houses is held during the first term of the academic year.
* Ananda
* Mahinda
* Seewali
* Rahula

## Facilities

Anuradhapura Central College includes facilities such as science laboratories, computer centers, a library, and a multi-purpose auditorium. In July 2024, a swimming pool was inaugurated by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

## Notable alumni

Anuradhapura Central College has produced graduates in many fields such as engineering, medicine, law, politics, education, administration, mass-media and entertainment, including:
* Nanda Mallawaarachchi - Former Secretary of Sports in Sri Lanka, Former Secretary of Law & Order in Sri Lanka, Acting Commander & 38th Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, Former Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Indonesia
* Ran Banda Seneviratne - A lawyer, author, lyricist, television and radio presenter.
* Sirimevan Ranasinghe - 22nd Commander of the Navy (Sri Lanka), and former Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy
* Shirani Bandaranayake - 43rd Chief Justice of Sri Lanka
* Simon Navagattegama - A Sinhala novelist, Sinhala Radio Play writer, playwright and actor.
* Duminda Dissanayake - Former cabinet Minister of Education Services