Arts Faculty scholars brought honour to Peradeniya University - Professor Kapila Gunasekera

"THE Peradeniya University which is pre-dominant among the universities of this country, has gained worldwide fame due to scholars produced by its Arts Faculty.

The Peradeniya University was able to forward the most constructive and development oriented proposals to the international organisations who requested for proposals for development of universities," said Vice-Chancellor Professor Kapila Gunasekera of the Peradeniya University addressing the annual general meeting of Association of Peradeniya 72 Batch of Arts held at Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Professor Gunasekera further said that the students of Peradeniya in the seventies upheld their unity and camaraderie irrespective of the faculties they were attached to both within and out of the campus.

It is specially due to this fact that today even after three decades the students of Arts Faculty have gathered to meet each other.

Present day students are divided over various other issues. This divisive tendency is an adverse effect not only on the educational activities but also the very existence of universities.

We are searching for ways of restoring the pristine glory enjoyed in the past. It is also apparent that the lecturer-student relationship too is being distanced at present.

Hence it is not easy to maintain such a close rapport in the context of the number of students being larger while the lecturers are few. In Peradeniya there are 6,000 students with an educational staff of 200 lecturers.

The initiative taken by the past students amid their busy lifestyle in various responsible positions in the public and private sectors, to revive the fond memories of campus days through this type of gathering needs to be appreciated. And this type of activity is exemplary to present day students, added Professor Gunasekera.

The construction of a museum in memory of Ian Gunatilake, a distinguished scholar of Peradeniya which was a long felt need has commenced. On completion this museum will contain his creative works for the benefit of the future generation of students.

The President of Association of Peradeniya 72 Batch of Arts, G. G. P. Abeysekera, Secretary D. C. de Silva, Treasurer, Kingsley Wijesinghe and Senior Lecturer in Geography at the Ruhunu University, Mr. Hettiarachchi addressed the gathering.