Thomian Mela exhibition, fair

Justin Kodikara, Matara District Special Corr and Dhammika Welegoda

The Thomian Mela exhibition and fair organized by the Matara St Thomas (boys) College OBA to mark the school's 168th anniversary is now being held at the Matara Sanath Jayasuriya Stadium.

The exhibition and fair which began on January 4 concludes on January 8. It is open to the public from 2 pm to midnight daily.

St Thomas' (Boys) College, Matara which is one of the oldest schools in the country which had its small beginning in a house in Meddawatta, Matara with 11 students in 1884 was funded by Rev Fr H J Oondatje. Today it has grown up to be a leading school situated in the Matara City Centre with a student population of over 3000.

Among the cream of its products were late Ven Agga Maha Panditha Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayake thera, Ven Pamburana Meththeiya thera, R S S Gunawardene, Pandit Munidasa Cumaratunge, late Ministers Badi-ud-din Mahmud, R E Jayatilleke and H Wanigasekare, late Businessman C A Harischandra, Col C A Dharmapala, Prof Jagath Wickremasinghe, Prof M T M Jiffrey, Prof J S Gunawardena and Dr Walter Abeygunawardene. The school is making great headway under the tenure of present Principal W Piyatissa.