My sweet memories at Dharmapala

Air Chief Marshal Oliver Ranasinghe (Retired – Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force)

I spent about two months during school hours on the steps of the present school auditorium. When I sat the whole day on the auditorium verandah my feet could not reach the ground. I was only five years plus in 1952 when my aunt, my mother’s sister, took me to be admitted to Dharmapala Vidyalaya. For some reason it took about two to three months for me to be admitted. Till then during interval my aunt Esther who was a senior student and her friends ensured that I had something to eat and drink. Well I was happy then and continued to be happy till I left Dharmapala Vidyalaya in 1966 to join then Royal Ceylon Air Force.

I still could remember when in the primary school, second standard, we use to run round the primary school and I ended up with a ‘head on’ collision with another boy, giving me five stitches on my eyebrow. On the approach to the primary school just by the side was a fascinating place for us, the 22 firing range, which I suppose, only our school had during that time. Mrs Thomas was the toughest lady teacher in the primary school and Ramanayake was feared so much. When I was in the fifth standard I happen to attend the wedding of my class teacher Miss Amarasinghe under whose guidance I ended up overall second in the class which I never achieved in my school education ever after.

School compound was huge, about 20 acres and right behind the class rooms was a scrub jungle where we use to play hide & seek, hora police, right up to the eighth standard. We also enjoyed the wild berries Dhan which was in abundance. At times we got pulled up because we were dirty running through the scrub jungle, may be we were “real boys” as the girls and boys were not mixed in the sixth, seventh and eighth standards. During these years teachers who inspired us were Karunasena, Jayawickrama, the Vice Principal and Bernett Gunasekera who was the strength and the pillar of success of Dharmapala sports.

Behind the development, education and sports there was a unique character of inspiration, full of charisma. He was non other than the Principal G C Edirisinghe who had a plan and developed the school, earning respect all the time. In school he was immaculately dressed in his cream suit, and carried himself to admiration. He earned respect, so much so that the students and teachers were in tears on the day he left Dharmapala on retirement.

By this time Dharmapala Vidyalaya Pannipitiya was a leading school in the country not only in education but in sports too, especially cricket. Even to date Dharmapala Vidyalaya is the biggest mixed school in the country.

Education is unique with both boys and girls interacting having equal status, competing with each other thus preparing to be responsible people in the society. My classmates and schoolmates are my true friends today, and I am very proud to say that I am a product of Dharmapala.