A Word From The College
A school is not measured by the height of its towers, but by the depth of character it leaves in those who pass through its gates. At Ranabima, we do not simply prepare boys and girls for examinations — we prepare them for lives of consequence.
The Principal
M.N.N.Perera
Our founders believed that a nation is built one classroom at a time. That conviction still governs every decision made on this campus — from the books on our shelves to the values we ask every student to carry beyond our gates.
Our Story
A Legacy Built In Just Three Decades
From a single schoolroom donated by a local philanthropist to a 31-acre campus of laboratories, playing fields, and libraries — the story of Ranabima is the story of a community’s faith in education.
1638 — The Battle of Gannoruwa
The grand campus of Ranabima Royal College crowns the historic battlefield of Gannoruwa (1638), where King Rajasinha II shattered Portuguese imperial ambitions forever. In this final, legendary clash, the Sinhalese army trapped and completely annihilated the invading forces against the Mahaweli River, securing an immortal victory for the Kandyan Kingdom.
1995 — The Institutional Concept
Education Secretary Palitha Elkaduwa and Chief Minister W. M. P. B. Dissanayake pitch the idea for a premier bilingual school, securing the historical land tract in Gannoruwa.
1996 — Official School Founding
On March 2, 1996, Ranabima Royal College officially opened its gates when Central Provincial Governor Stanley Thilakarathne declared the institution open. Guided by pioneering Principal S. M. Keerthirathne, this visionary citadel of learning launched its legacy with a proud vanguard of 320 founding students and 16 dedicated academic staff. Standing firmly on historic soil, this elite foundation marked the birth of a prestigious institution destined for academic supremacy and national honor.
2000 — First G.C.E. Ordinary Level Cohort
The inaugural batch of students sat for their national Ordinary Level examinations.
2003 — First G.C.E. Advanced Level Cohort
The first batch sat for their Advanced Level final exams.This marked the school’s full expansion into a Grade 6–13 institution.
2021 — The Silver Jubilee
The postal department of Sri Lanka prints an official commemorative stamp and First Day Cover to celebrate the school’s 25th anniversary.
2026 — The 30th Anniversary
The 30th Anniversary: The institution marks three decades of academic excellence with a widespread commemorative celebration on campus.
Today — A Living Tradition
Ranabima Royal College is currently recognized as one of the top boys’ schools in Sri Lanka, distinguished by immense student demand and consistently outstanding all-island academic results. The college maintains a vibrant campus environment featuring a highly active co-curricular culture driven by numerous student clubs, societies, and elite sports teams.
The Grounds
Where the Mahaweli bends
The college sits in Gannoruwa, on the bank of the Mahaweli River, flanked by the Hanthana Mountain Range — a setting few schools in Sri Lanka can claim.
It stands roughly 2 km from Peradeniya along the New Colombo–Kandy highway, and about 6 km from Kandy town, in the immediate company of some of the region’s most significant institutions.
- ◆ Gannoruwa & Hanthana Mountain Range — immediate surroundings
- ◆ Bank of the Mahaweli River
- ◆ Adjoining the Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya
- ◆ Neighbouring the University of Peradeniya
- ◆ Beside the Department of Agriculture’s research grounds
School Location
Once a battlefield, Now a school ground
campus
Main buildings & facilities
Set on open, naturally wealthy grounds beside the Mahaweli, the campus houses academic, residential, and recreational facilities under one roof of hills.
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Academics & Admission
A rigorous, multilingual education
From Grade 6 through the Advanced Level, admission runs on merit alone — decided by competitive examination through the Central Province Education Department.
Entrance by examination
Places are decided through a competitive entrance examination open only to students within the Central Province — not through the Grade 5 Scholarship or the Ordinary Level examination.
Grades 6 to 13
Each grade runs two Sinhala-medium classes, one Tamil-medium class, and one English-medium class up to Grade 11, each with around forty students.
Three streams offered
At the collegiate level, students choose from the Physical Science, Biological Science, and Commerce streams ahead of their national examinations.
“Named for the battle fought on this soil, the college was built not to forget history, but to carry it forward — into every student who walks these grounds.”Ranabima Royal College — founded 2 March 1996