BY Dhanesh Wisumperuma

Many of the readers might be able to recognize the building in this old photograph. Although its faade is now much
covered by trees planted in front of it and certain other buildings are erected around it, it is not difficult to identify it as
the present Mathematics Department building of the University of Colombo. Many graduates of the university have this
building at the background of their batch photograph. However, most of them sometimes those who studied at the
Faculty of Science might not be aware of the fact it was not designed to host a university, a fact that is fairly common
among the science students of all sorts. It was designed to house the Royal College, which was the then government
school for higher education, in the second decade of the twentieth century. Actually, within few days time, it is almost a
century since the foundation laying ceremony of this building which took place on 31st May 1911.
Story of the Building
Royal College was the higher education institute under the British colonial Government of Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) at
that time. It was established in 1835 and by this period it was situated at San Sebastian, Pettah. Although that area was
fitting for a school in the mid 19th century, the landscape had been changed rapidly with time. The unhealthy nature of
environment made the problem further serious, as the school was closed for a week in October 1905 in consequence
of the danger to health. The lack of sufficient space for the school was a serious issue too. Hence the need to shift the
school to another site was finally agreed by the government. A location was also selected; the triangular shaped land
plot at the junction of the Serpentine Road (later named as Reid avenue and at present renamed as Philip
Gunewardene Mawatha) and the Thurstan Road (present Munidasa Kumnaratunga Mawatha). It was a crown land
adjoining the Government Training School.
This new proposed edifice is mentioned as the new Royal College in various government records and newspapers.
According to the records available, it seems that the first designs of the new building of the Royal College (which is the
topic of this article) were drawn by the officers of the Public Works Department in 1905.
However, the construction delayed by years. This was partly due to serious issues whether the government was to
continue with the school and the insufficiency of funds allocated for such a construction. Finally it received the sanction
of the government in 1909 and the Governor agreed to increase the sum allocated to building from Rs. 150,000 to
250,000. Accordingly the plans were revised.
As mentioned above, the foundation of the building was laid on 31st May 1911 by the Governor, Sir Henry E.
McCallum, at 5.30 pm in the presence of a distinguished gathering. The event is well illustrated in local newspaper
descriptions. From those descriptions it is clear that the foundations of the building were erected up to the floor height
and the foundation stone was laid on it. The stone, which is still there at the entrance to the building, says;
ROYAL COLLEGE COLOMBO
THIS STONE WAS LAID
BY H.E. SIR H.E. MCCALLUM
31ST MAY, 1911
It took about two years to complete the building. When the building was completed by 1913 and the classes of the
school were transferred in the third term of that year. An opening ceremony was held with the presence of the governor

in August. We can expect that the new location was definitely a better place than the San Sebastian, apart from the
new building was newly equipped.
Royal College Days
When it was built for the Royal College it consisted of a main building (present mathematics department of the
University of Colombo) and a science block. Records reveal that the land allocated for the school contained
approximately 17 acres and the ground occupied about 15 acres. The cricket ground was in use by 1915.
The two-storied main building was 200 feet long and 70 feet wide and had a square central tower which was about 60
feet in height. The building has space for ten class rooms, a library, art room, principals and masters rooms, armoury
and stores etc. It was connected to the science block with a corridor.
The science block consisted of physics and chemistry laboratories, lecture halls etc. This science block is the building
which houses the present Science Library of the university. However, it seems that considerable modifications have
been taken place in this building since then.
Further, few out houses and a bungalow for the principal of the Royal College were also constructed in the same time.
Interestingly, the colonial style mansion that serves as the present medical centre of the University was built as the
principals bungalow of Royal College.
One could wonder whether this building alone was spacious enough for a school that had the responsibility of higher
education. When the Royal College shifted to this location (1913) the number of students on register was about 153,
mainly because of the transfer of lower forms to the English School of the Government Training College. However,
these forms were amalgamated later and by 1920 the average number of students on register was 535. Due to the lack
of space in the new location, about half of these students were taught at Training College. Further to this, these
numbers are no wonder when we consider that a period where school fee were charged and the population of the
entire country were just above four million.
School to University: the Transfer
Even at the time of the opening of this new building of the Royal College, there was an uncertainty about how long it
will house the school there. A plan was there to establish a university college in Sri Lanka was in the minds of the
colonial authorities. However, it was just a proposal by that period.
After it was decided to establish a university college in Sri Lanka, the next issue to be solved was buildings to house it.
Selecting an appropriate site for the University College seemed to be a matter of discussion as it was first proposed to
build it on the ground facing Race Course or on a portion of Training College premises. Finally it was agreed to
establish the university at the premises of the then Royal College, with necessary additions of science laboratories. It
was also proposed to build a new Royal College facing Race Course Avenue (present Rajakeeya Mawatha). This was
partly due to the need of more spacious buildings for the school.
It took few years to the idea to mature. This was the (First) World War time and every such action was delayed with the
limited finances available in the colony. Construction of the two-storied science laboratory building commenced in 1918.
It was erected adjoining the already functioning Royal College building, which was aimed to from part of the university
later. There are descriptive accounts of this building in the records and it was designed to contain botany, chemistry
and physics laboratories, two lecture halls and other relevant rooms. This building with science laboratories, which is
still serving the students (behind the building which hosts the Department of Zoology) and probably could be the oldest

building designed and built for the university! One can notice the architectural similarities in this building and the then
Royal College building.
Finally the university college was opened by the then Governor in January 1921, with 155 students. Arts classes were
held in College House building (Regina Walawwa, acquired by the government for the purpose) and science classes
were held in Technical College, since science block was not ready by that time. Science block was opened in October
1921 only.
The much expected Royal College building was relieved only in 1923. It was due to the delay of constructing the new
buildings for the school, which was started in August 1919 and completed by 1923. The school shifted to the present
location between May and September 1923. The building was transferred to the University College in the same month
and was immediately in use. According to the records, its rooms and halls were initially used for arts lectures,
professors rooms, senior and junior common rooms, etc.
Monument in Education?
This building which once housed a school and now a university is still used with certain modifications that have been
taken place during the past. Thus it could be considered a landmark of the history of education in Sri Lanka. It has
provided facility for the education of hundreds and thousands of school children and university students. This building
could be considered as a monument of present education system and as a part of our heritage.
Although we can see it in an excellent preservation, continuous maintenance might be necessary to withstand the
tropical climate - recently I was informed of such a scheme. By doing so, the university could provide a model for other
state sector agencies, as some such historical buildings have been neglected and decayed without being maintained
properly. Such landmark buildings should be preserved for the future as our heritage. It is the most appropriate time,
as the centenary anniversary of the completion or the opening of this building comes within two years time.

The University of Colombo is virtually unmissable to anyone who turns of at Thunmulla. This majestic building was
originally built for Royal College, but after 10 years the Ceylon University College occupied the Premises and the Royal
College was moved to its present location at Rajakeeya Mawatha. Today the building plays host to the Mathematics
Department of the University. - See more at:

When the Colombo city is getting greener and cleaner under the initiative of the Defence and Urban Development
Ministry, city dwellers witnessed the way many buildings with architectural and historical value are being
renovated and preserved maintaining their architectural and historical value. That process initiated by the Ministry
of Defence and Urban Development could add more and more buildings with commercial value to the city making
the city more and more beautiful and attractive one.

But the commercial value of the building is not the only criteria for the Defence and Urban
Development Ministry to extend its cooperation for the preservation of such buildings.
Unaware to many of us the helping hand of the military has also been extended towards the
university system in the country to preserve their buildings that cater to the thousands of
undergraduates to pursue their education.
The nearly 179-year-old Maths Department building, the oldest and iconic building of the
Colombo university is now getting the finest touch of the military to expand its lifetime for
another 100 to 200 years.
Dr Rohan P. Perera

This has become the finest example for the cohabitation between the military and
university system in the country where the university systems generally rejects any military
involvement in their affairs.
According to Dr. Jagath Wijerathna, Head of the Maths Department of the University of
Colombo, the building which cater to nearly 1000 undergraduates of the Science Faculty
annually, was in need of urgent repairs for the past few years as the windows and doors of
the building were in the verge of collapse as it had not undergone any substantial repair for
more than 175 years.

Dr. Jagath Wijerathna

However, all the endeavours within the university system to get it renovated failed as
contractors were not willing to undertake the job as it required a lot of men and material
and also demolish and removal debris from the site.

"As the Head of the Department and also as a former student of that department I really wanted to get this building
repaired as the students had to participate in lectures under difficult circumstances. Since all those efforts failed we
made a request from the Secretary of Defence through the Dean of the Faculty of Science and the Vice Chancellor
of the University, requesting his assistance to renovate this building", Dr. Wijerathna said.
"What we wanted was to renovate this building also in the same way the Sri Lanka Army is renovating the
racecourse building", he said.
According to Dr. Wijerathne, the Defence Secretary responded to the letter the following day itself and sent a team
of Army personnel to inspect the building and then onwards the process of renovating the building started as a
combined effort of the University of Colombo and the Sri Lanka with the active participation of the 6th
Engineering Services Regiment.
The 6th Engineering Services Regiment under the command of Colonel P. Gunasekara was entrusted with the task
of renovating building. "The supply of material required for the renovation has to be done by the university and the
entire consultancy, planing, supervision and labour was handled by the Sri Lanka Army on the directive of Defence
Secretary", Dr. Wijerathna said.
The Higher Education Ministry extended its support after releasing Rs.20 million to purchase the material required
for the project. After preparation of plans and the construction works were started on January 2013 and since then
the work carried out continuously without any relax except for two days holiday for the Sinhala and Tamil New
Year.

Though the university machinery is very slow in the

process of purchasing material as it has to go through
several
procedures,
the
Colombo
university
administration supported the project by fast tracking the
process of purchasing necessary building material.
The cooperation of the students also came in handy for
the project not only by not resisting to the project but
also extending their support in the form of shramadana
campaigns to remove the debris from the site and clean
the environment.
"Initially we thought that the students will resist the
project due to the military involvement of the the
project. But they also realised they are doing a genuine
job on behalf of them. Therefore they extended their
support to the military to carry out the work", he said.

Mathematics Department

"We are getting a huge labour cost free to the project from the Army personnel having an immense reduction of
project cost", he said.
"I have taken records about the people who worked at the site on each day and made a substantive report about the
labour cost after taking to account the number of employees such as masons, plumbers, welders, etc worked at the
site on each date. The estimates exceeds Rs.40 million without including any supervision or consultation cost. If
we add five percent for consultancy and another five percent as supervision we are getting nearly Rs.50 million
worth of contribution from the Ministry of Defence to this project as engineering and skill labour", he said.
"Now the entire project is nearing completion and we are planning to open the building in the month of February.
Therefore I would like to thank the entire university community for extending their support for the project and
Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa who initiated this project on our request", he said.
"What we admire is that they have done a complete job for us by completely renovating the building to ensuring
another 100 to 150 years life time. Therefore our next challenge is to properly maintain this building ", he said.
To achieve this task the Mathematics Department has started a "Mathematics Building Preservation Fund" with the
approval from the council.
"The whole objective of this fund is to maintain the building properly. I would like to tell the alumni of University
of Colombo that this 179 old building has been preserved by the 6th Engineering Services Regiment of SL Army
after working very high degree of commitment for more than one year. Therefore every cent of your generous
donation will bring this monument of University of Colombo for many years to future generations", he said.
Therefore they can make their contributions to this fund by sending their money to AC No.086-1001-61189660 Peoples Bank Thimbirigasyaya Branch in the name of Mathematics Building Preservation Fund - University of
Colombo, using the swift code PSBKLKLXA023.

"All funds will be managed by the University of Colombo, Bursar's office for
the purpose of maintenance and preservation of the Mathematics Building with
in the University of Colombo financial regulation framework", he said.
Colonel P. Gunasekara, Commanding Officer of the 6th Engineering Service
Regiment, said the requests of this nature to renovate old building regularly
comes to them through the Ministry of Defence and through the Army
Commander after they completed Defence Services School project at the
request of Secretary to the Defence Ministry in 2006.
For this project also the six Engineering Service Regiment committed their well
trained and disciplined personnel to fulfill the task properly.

Army personnel at work

"Throughout the project we have worked without any resistance from the
university system and we had a very friendly environment to work there.
Nobody has come to me and asked why have you come here. As a student of
the university of Moratuwa I can remember how the students at that time hated
the military personnel within the university premises. Now the university
students have realised what the Government is doing for them ," he said.
A Chartered Civil Engineer cum military official Colonel Gunasekara said that
many of the people are not aware that many military officers involved in these
projects are well qualified personnel.
He said if tenders were called for the project it would have been a project of
Rs.100 to 200 million. But the contractors would not undertake a job of this
nature as it require lot of demolition and removal of debris from this 179 years
old building.
"Now the building has been renovated preserving its historical value and also
architectural value", he said.

Dr. Rohan P. Perera, Director of the Institute of Human Resource Advancement

of the University of Colombo who helped conveying the request of the
university to the Defence Secretary, said that through this project a very energetic message conveys to the society
about friendship built between the military personnel and the university students.
The front corridor after renovation

This is the first building renovated in the university system by the direct involvement of the Ministry of Defence.
Everybody appreciate this now though some elements accused us of trying to create a conflict between the
university students and the Army. But it never happened. Instead, the friendship between the military and the
university community strengthened through this project. In the future we should develop this friendship further as
students have realised that it was a human being who works behind those uniforms also", he said.