University of Kelaniya - Golden Jubilee

The Philatelic Bureau of the Department of Posts will issue a new Postage Stamp on 31^st July, 2009, to mark the Golden Jubilee of the University of Kelaniya.

The Vidyalankara Pirivena founded by Venerable Ratmalana Sri Dharmaloka Nayaka Thero in 1875 at Peliyagoda, Kelaniya was elevated to the rank of the Vidyalankara University of Sri Lanka on 1^st January, 1959 by the Vidyodaya and Vidyalankara Universities Act No. 45 of 1957. The then Chief incumbent of the Pirivena, late Venerable Kiriwaththuduwe Sri Pragnasara Nayaka Thero become the first Vice Chancellor of the newly established University.

Subsequently, this institution was incorporated as the Vidyalankara Campus of the University of Sri Lanka on 15^th February, 1972 by the University of Sri Lanka Act No. 0l of l972. It was re-institutionalized in its present form as the University of Kelaniya by the universities Act No l6 of 1978. At present, the University of Kelaniya ranks as a premier national University with a high reputation for its academic disposition. There are 48 academic departments of study functioning under the Faculties of Commerce and Management, Studies, Humanities, Medicine, Science and Social Sciences along with the Faculty of Graduate Studies, which coordinates all postgraduate programmes conducted by the academic departments.