Ananda College

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Ananda College Crest on letter by principal Fritz Kunz on March 7, 1915.

Ananda College Crest from Facebook, 2016.

Ananda College (Sinhala: ආනන්ද විද්‍යාලය) is a Buddhist school in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was founded by Henry Steel Olcott in an effort to restore Buddhist education to South Asia. In over 130 years of operation, the school has nurtured generations of leaders for Sri Lanka.

Origins and early history

The school was started with 37 students in Maliban Street, Colombo, on November 1, 1886.

Gift book given to Fritz Kunz in 1917.

Fritz Kunz as Principal

On March 19, 1917, the Ananda College Boarders' Good-Will Fraternity presented Mr. Kunz with a little book with an affectionate message in beautiful calligraphy and a listing of 45 student names.

Recent developments

Ananda College offers an annual Olcott Oration. On November 20, 2016 the topic was "Unreasonable Success of Mathematics and Role of Information Technology in driving National Economics," delivered by Professor Rohan Attele of Chicago State University.

Students participate in many sports and other competitions with other schools. The team name is the Maroons.

Evans-Wentz lecture at Ananda College

Lecturers and visitors

Notable Buddhists and Theosophists have visited the college over the years, and some have delivered significant lectures. One example is Dr. W. Y. Evans-Wentz, whose lecture (about 1921) was published by the Maha Bodhi Society in Colombo.

Other resources

• Ananda College website.
• "Ananda College"' in Wikipedia.
• Ananda College Facebook Page.
• Kunz Family Collection. Records Series 25.01. Theosophical Society in America Archives. Fritz Kunz left correspondence, documents, and photos from his time as principal at Ananda College.