Point Pedro Velautham Maha Vidyalayam celebrates 115th anniversary

Chelvatamby MANICCAVASAGAR

The Point Pedro Velautham Maha Vidyalayam which was established in 1895 by philanthropist and educationist late Vyramuthu Velautham has indeed served the Hindu Community excellently offering the wholesome education which ‘PLATO’ defined as the first and the fairest thing that the best of men can ever have.

Velautham Maha Vidyalayam which is one of the premier Hindu educational institutions in Sri Lanka for more than 115 years was established with the main intention of protecting our cultural and religious values when they were threatened by the intrusion of foreign culture during the colonial era. During this period of time, it has produced many eminent personalities in the field of Education, Administration, Engineering, Medicine, Law and Business under the able guidance of distinguished principals and dedicated teachers.

The college has not only excelled in education, but has produced men of character, candour and commitment and also men who could stand up to any challenge. The college has also had a large line of principals whose task had also been made easier by a tutorial staff comprised men of scholarship and dedication, peerless in their committed service to education. The college was right on top and was so popular that it was almost bursting at its seams.

The history of the Velautham Maha Vidyalayam is the story of late Velautham pioneering work, its trials and tribulations, his exultations and agonies. This college is the creation and handiwork of Velautham. He was its real creator and the velautham Maha Vidyalayam was often referred to by the People of Puloly as “Velauthar School”.

Velautham Maha Vidyalayam had several distinguished principals like K Subramaniam, K Suntharachchari, V Arunachalam, S Pasupathi Iyar, K Nadarajah, T Ramanathan, M A Thangarajah, V Thambipillai, S Ahamparam, C Thevarajah, S Gananasekarampillai and Jeganathan. T Ramanathan who was appointed as Principal in 1947 and served until 1961, was the first person who propelled this school towards the destination of incomparable status with selfless sacrifice, rare insight and loving care. He was an able administrator with a high degree of discipline. His main goal was to enable the students to imbibe the high moral values of life, to inculcate selfless qualities, to cultivate good habits and build up good character which will make them to serve themselves as well as the larger society.

Velautham Maha Vidyalayam had devoted and dedicated teachers like V Thambipillai and S Ahamparanathan who really toiled themselves for the betterment and uplift of this school. Ahamparam is an Arts graduate who was a teacher and principal for more than 15 years and subsequently served as Deputy Director of Education.

Velautham Maha Vidyalayam has produced eminent personalities who have brought fame and name to school. Kathirgamu Selvavinayagam is an international intellectual who was an Economic Expert in the United Nation, V Maniccavasagar was the Director General in the Telecommunication Department, N Selvakumaran is the Dean of the Faculty of Law in the University of Colombo, N Gnanakumaran is the Dean of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Jaffna, N Sivakumaran was the Deputy Legal Draftsman, Raj Subramaniam is a highly qualified Accountant (ICMA) and V Senathirajah served as a Chartered Accountant in Nigeria. An old boy of this school Naganathan Veluppillai who holds a Bachelor of Law degree and an Attorney-at-Law with Post Graduate Diploma in International Affairs from BCIS was an Assistant Legal Draftsman. He learnt French, obtained a Diploma got through the scholarship examination conducted by the Government of France specializing in International Trade Law. In 1984, he was appointed as Legal Consultant by the Government of France and was posted in the Embassy of France in Bombay.

Veluppillai has been conferred with the title of ‘Chevalier’ of the National Order of Merit by the French Government in recognition of the services he rendered in his capacity as the Legal Attache at the Economic Mission of the Consulate General of France in Bombay and as well as in appreciation of his role as a writer of many books in French in the field of International Trade Law. He also rendered Legal advice to French companies in their approach to the Indian market. Besides, being proficient in Tamil and English, he is fluent in Sinhala, French and Hindi.

Recently, the French Ambassador to Sri Lanka Christine Robichon conferred the Title of ‘Chevalier’ of the National Order of Merit of France to Naganathan Velupillai.

The Velautham Maha Vidyalayam Old Boys’ Association (Colombo Branch) has made elaborate arrangements to felicitate him in a fitting manner since he has brought fame and name to his Alma Mater and also has put the college in the world map.