Old Boys and Old Girls Alumni Associations based in the UK.
Mahendra "Speedy" Gonsalkorale
Many of you must belong to these Associations and probably take an active role. Please feel free to point out any errors. The Alumni Associations must have a very varied history.
I wonder whether colleagues in other countries, such as the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, will be able to provide any data.
Major Boys Alumni Associations
- St. Thomas' College: (OTAUK)
- St. Patrick's
College (Jaffna): St Patrick's College, Jaffna, Alumni Association UK
- Jaffna Central
College: Jaffna Central College Old Boys & Girls Association UK
- St. John's College
& Chundikuli Girls' College: CSJPPA-UK
- Ananda College Old
Boys’ Association UK
- D. S. Senanayake
College OBA UK
- De Mazenod College
Past Pupils Association UK
- Dharmaraja College
OBA UK
- Dharmasoka College
Alumni Organisation UK (Old Sokians UK)
- Holy Cross College
Kalutara OBA UK
- Isipathana College
OBA UK
- Kingswood College
Kandy OBA UK
- Mahanama College OBA
UK
- Mahinda College OBA
UK
- Maliyadeva College
OBA UK
- Maris Stella College
OBA UK
- Methodist Central
College Batticaloa OBA UK
- Nalanda College OBA
UK (Nalandians Hub UK)
- Prince of Wales'
College Moratuwa OBA UK
- Rahula College
Matara OBA UK
- Richmond College
Galle OBA UK
- Royal College
Colombo (Old Royalists Association UK)
- Shivananda
Vidyalayam Batticaloa OBA UK
- St. Aloysius'
College Galle OBA UK
- St. Anthony's
College Kandy OBA UK
- St. Benedict's
College OBA UK
- St. Joseph's College
Colombo OBA UK
- St. Joseph Vaz
College Wennappuwa OBA UK
- St. Mary's College
Negombo OBA UK
- St. Michael's
College Batticaloa OBA UK
- St. Patrick's
College Jaffna Alumni Association UK
- St. Peter's College
Colombo OBA UK
- St. Sebastian's
College Moratuwa OBA UK
- St. Thomas' College
Matale OBA UK
- Thurstan College OBA
UK
- Trinity College
Kandy OBA UK
- Vivekananda College
Colombo OBA UK
- Zahira College Colombo OBA UK
Major Girl's Alumni Associations
Colombo Region Schools
- Anula Vidyalaya Past Pupils’ Association UK
- Devi Balika
Vidyalaya Past Pupils’
Association UK
- Good Shepherd
Convent (Kotahena) Past Pupils’
Association UK
- Holy Family
Convent (Bambalapitiya) Past
Pupils’ Association UK
- Ladies' College
(Colombo) Old Girls' Association
UK Branch
- Methodist College Colombo Past
Pupils' Charitable Association UK
- Musaeus College Past Pupils’ Association - UK Branch
- Our Lady of
Victories Convent (Moratuwa)
Past Pupils’ Association UK
- Sirimavo
Bandaranaike Vidyalaya Alumnae
UK
- St. Bridget's
Convent (Colombo) Past Pupils’
Association UK
- Visakha Vidyalaya Past Pupils’ Association in the UK (VVPAUK)
Kandy & Central Region Schools
- Girl's High School Kandy. Old Girls' Association UK
- Hillwood College
(Kandy) Past Pupils' Association
UK
- Mahamaya Girls'
College (Kandy) OGA UK
Southern & North-Western Region Schools
- Maliyadeva Balika Vidyalaya (Kurunegala) PPA UK
- Sacred Heart
Convent (Galle) Past Pupils'
Association UK
- Southlands
College (Galle) Past Pupils'
Association UK [1]
Northern & Eastern Region (Joint & Independent
Chapters)
- Chundikuli Girls' College (Jaffna) – Associated under the joint Chundikuli-St. John's PPA UK
- Jaffna Hindu
Ladies' College Alumni
Association UK
- Vembadi Girls'
High School (Jaffna) OGA UK
I hope that this post will stimulate some of our more dormant colleagues to wake up (even a little bit) and point out anything of interest on this subject. I wonder how many of you are office bearers in such Associations?
ReplyDeleteAlumni associations that bring together former students are a universal phenomenon, encompassing both schools and universities. These institutions shape us during our most formative and impressionable years. It is there that friendships are forged, many of which endure for a lifetime.
ReplyDeleteI received my education at Wesley College, Colombo. I still remember, as vividly as if it were yesterday, walking up the hill between the tall Casuarina trees towards the main building on my very first day at school in January 1950.
I remain profoundly grateful to my school for the well-rounded education I received. Many of my teachers went far beyond the call of duty in nurturing and inspiring us. Before I knew it, my school years had passed all too quickly.
My last day at school remains one of the most emotional moments of my life. As I stood at the morning assembly, the boys sang the school song. I struggled to hold back my tears, though I was too shy to let anyone see my emotions. We also sang my favourite hymn:
"Guide me, O Thou Great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand."
Until that day, school had been my entire world. I still remember my solitary walk home after saying my farewells, turning for one last look at the magnificent school buildings. That image has remained with me throughout my life.
Even after all these years, I feel a deep sense of sadness when I think of the principals, teachers, and fellow students who have since passed away, yet were once such an important part of my life. If I have one regret, it is that I did not take the time on my final day to shake the hand of every teacher—from Primary School onwards—to thank them for all they had done for me. Many of them I never saw again.
I hope these reflections convey the depth of my affection and gratitude for my old school.
The Wesley College Old Boys' Association in London was established around 1994. At the time, I was living in Hertfordshire and was unable to attend its meetings regularly because of the distance. After my retirement, however, I became actively involved and had the privilege of serving on its committee.
There is Wesley OBA in UK which is functioning for more than 30 years.
DeleteNihal, your recall of past events in such detail never ceases to amaze me! You said, "I still remember, as vividly as if it were yesterday, walking up the hill........" I bet you would tell us if we ask you about the birds perched on the tall Casuarina trees on that day!
ReplyDeleteI completely endorse your statement, "These institutions shape us during our most formative and impressionable years. It is there that friendships are forged, many of which endure for a lifetime".
That is why I was so pleased to find so many Old Pupils' Associations in the UK. I am sure they serve as important catalysts in helping us remember the vital role they played in our lives. To me, next to Parents, my school and its teachers are the most valued.
As for your old school, Wesley, I am aware that you still run the Website for the old boys. Hope I am correct?
In our days, just like the Test Cricket Teams, those who came to the Medical Faculty largely came from "Elite" schools, and just like the Cricket Team, this has changed, and students now come from a wider social class, which is a really welcome change.
My impression of OBAs is that they play many roles, including raising Funds for worthy causes back home (both for the school and for National causes) and, in the UK, organising annual events such as Dances.
To quote Aristotle: "The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet."
Thanks Mahen. I still run the Website for my old school. I wish my memory for recall was as good for my text books as for the trivia.
ReplyDeleteAt Wesley the school was completely overshadowed physically by the huge expanse of the organisation in front of the school, The Welikada Prison with its perimeter wall was painted a drab magnolia. Whenever we were mischievous the teachers told us one day we will end up in the institution just across the road. I remember a notorious rascal at school during my years and none of us including the teachers had any doubts he would end up in prison one day. In the fullness of time he was recruited into the Police Force and rose up the ranks to become a top man in the force. There is a lesson in this story for us all.
For many of us even now prison is almost an unknown place and very few knew what happened behind the grim gates that swallowed the convicts. We imagined that its inhabitants were desperate people and dangerous criminals. In our minds the place was associated with isolation, humiliation and suffering which were all part of the punishment. To the prisoners the greenery and the wide spaces become a distant memory. The images of the family and loved ones must be at the forefront of their confused minds. Sometimes the sheer lack of privacy and at other times the loneliness of solitary confinement must be soul destroying. The sky , the grass, sunrise and sunset and the even the weather must feel so far away. The horizon is always hidden. Time then is not a luxury but a burden to endure. A few had the benefit of work and exercise. I would hate to think of what food they received. Above all I wonder how they faced the world again on their release.
In the mid 1990s when I visited London, my classmate and good friend, Gamit Amerasekere (of Taprobane Travel), was the President of the Old Royalists Association of the UK. He invited me to be the Chief Guest at its annual dinner dance and I was invited to give a speech as well. I was gifted the official tie of the organisation which I value very much. I wear it for very special occasions One such occasion was the opening of the Sabaragamuwa Medical Faculty on the 17th of January 2019. Ranil Wickramasinghe who was the PM at that time ,was the Chief Guest and the Guest of Honour was Rauf Hakeem ,who was the Minister for Higher Education.. Rauf Hakeem came up to me and commented that both of us are from the same school. My response was that although he was an old Royalist, he may not entitled to wear that tie. He was bewildered and asked me for the reason. I asked him whether he was a member of the Old Royalists Association of the UK, which he was not!
ReplyDeleteThere are such occasions where we could outsmart politicians!
I went for another annual dinner dance in the midlands when my close friend Panagamuwa was the treasurer. Each ticket was GBP 70 and I purchased three tickets, for Buddhika and Harshan, our second son.
There used to be a an annual old boys cricket festival in South London(Greenwich?). It used to be a grand affair with plenty of music and food stalls serving Sri Lankan food. I wonder whether it is continuing to be held?
Festival of cricket is to be held on 12th July this year at Fairlop in east London with 32 OBAs participating. Doctors such as Freddie Jurangpathy ( Zahira 1998) ,Narada Wijetilleke (Ananda 1999), Sena Nanayakara ( Richmond 2000), Deutrom Thambapillai (Royal 2008) and Gnana Sankaralingam (Royal 2013) have been presidents of this organisation. In the silver jubilee year of 2013, it was held in the picturesque ground of Merchant Taylors' school with 8 pitches and one more for car park.
DeleteGamit was founder President of ORAUK and held the post for three years from 83 to 86. He subsequently served as committe member and in 2013 was elected patron which post he held till his death in 2019. To say that he was president in the 90s is wrong.
ReplyDeleteI apologise for the error regarding Gamit. He would have invited me as the Patron. Who is anonymous?!
ReplyDelete