30th Anniversary Project – Sponsorship of Eng-Tech equipment for the  College Technology Lab

In 2022, the OBA reached another milestone – our 30th. To commemorate the event, the OBA undertook a project to sponsor the purchase of “Equipment for the A/L Engineering Technology stream” (Eng-Tech) for the Technology Lab of the College. The total cost of the equipment was (on 2021/22 exchange rates) Rs. 2.2 m (approx). (30th Anniversary Project)

Sponsorship – Quintus

Rev Fr Anthony Gnanapragasam – our former chaplain in Melbourne and now the Parish Priest at St Peter and Paul’s Church, Naranthanai, Kayts – has made a special appeal and has requested that the Melbourne OBA sponsor the hostel fees of one of his parishioners, who lost his mother and sister during the war and whose father and both his brothers were injured in Vanni. Quintus is a boarder at the College and Melbourne OBA has decided that it is a worthwhile cause and meets its charter and has agreed to pay his school and hostel fees until he completes his studies. The following very generous Patricians have contributed the funds for the 4 years from 2021 to 2024 academic years. (Note: Quintus has completed his O/L and is now doing his A/L. He is also a football player in the Under 18 team of the College)

Mevin Christoper Jackson Education Fund

Mevin was a boarding student at the College and his father died in a car accident in December 2013, while on a visit to Australia. Melbourne OBA agreed to pay Mevin’s school and hostel fees for the school years – 2015 to 2019 (5 years in total).  21 very generous Patricians in Melbourne contributed a total of $2,605. Mevin completed his studies successfully in August 2019. Details of the contributions are as follows:

Anandarajan James $350 Anton Newton $50 Anton Sylvester $100
Berchmans Tennakone $50 Chrys Gunanayagam $50 Dr Florentine Singarayar $100
Dr Hutchinson Thurairajah $100 Dr Sanjeev Alfred $100 James Premanandarajah $100
Jeevaranjan Fernando $250 Jenith Jesuthasan $200 Jeyandra Antonipillai $105
Nijanthan Thurairajah $50 Nimal Augustine $100 Noel Rajiv $150
Patrick Rajaratnam $50 Raj Niruban Vimalathasan $100 Richman Mangalanayagam $100
Philip Ravindraraj $250 Vincent Bonaventure $100 William Nimalraj $150

Silver Jubilee Perpetual Fund has now replaced the SPC Cricket Fund.

MOU has been signed between the Rector and Committee of the Melbourne OBA. Rupees 3 million has been invested and the interest earned will be paid to the College annually. This is a major achievement and the highlight of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the OBA.

 SPC Cricket Fund – towards supporting the cricket activities of the College. $12,000 was remitted over a period of 8 years between 2008 & 2016. 

Contribution to the JEYARATNAM THANUSHAN AMALAN ASSISTANCE FUND

An old boy of the College, Thanushan Amalan, was killed in tragic circumstances at the 97th “Battle of Golds” cricket match held at Vaddukoddai on 15 March 2014. $500 (Rs 60,500) was paid in May 2014 into the “JEYARATNAM THANUSHAN AMALAN ASSISTANCE FUND” which had been established by the OBA Jaffna and the College to help his young family.

Renovation of the College Chapel

Patricians who attended the Global Reunion 2012 held in Jaffna decided to contribute funds towards the renovation of the College Chapel. Melbourne OBA established a project to raise funds and collected a total of $3,280. An amount of $3,500 was sent to the College for the renovation of the sanctuary/altar. The project was completed in September 2013.

Contributed by SL Rupees
AA Colombo 400,000
OBA Melbourne Australia 430,500
AA U K 1,104,255
AA Sydney, Australia 202,120
AA Toronto, Canada 134,166
OBA, Jaffna 50,000
OBA Bergen, Norway 50,000
TOTAL Received 2,371,041

The following Patricians contributed a total of $3,280 towards the Chapel Renovation Fund

Adrian (Jerry) Alphonsus $200 Alfred Reynald $100
Anandarajan James $100 Antony Gratian $50
Augustine James $50 Tennakone $70
Chrys Gunanayagam $100 Cornelius Sebastiampillai $100
Dr Anton Mariampillai $100 Dr Basty Douglas $150
Dr Bruno Jesuthasan $200 Dr Florentine Singarayar $100
Dr John Keith Abraham $200 Dr P Prathipan $200
Edward Arulnesathasan $100 James Joseph $100
James Premanandarajah $100 Jeevaranjan Fernando $100
Jerry Anthonypillai $50 Jeyandra Antonipillai $100
Jeyanthakumar Joseph $50 John Pathinathan $50
John Priyaan $200 Mariampillai Jesurajah $50
Nimal Augustine $100 Noel Rajiv $70
Patrick Rajaratnam $100 Philip Ravindraraj $100
Victor Emmanuel $50 Vincent (Chandran) Benedict $100
Vincent Pius $70 William Nimalraj $70

Over the years ……

The OBA made many other remittances to the College over the years for various causes, scholarships, purchases etc. Below are details of the funds sent

  • SPC Cricket Fund was established in 2008 towards supporting the cricket activities of the College. Details on SPC Cricket Fund. Remittances totalled $12,000. The fund was replaced by the SPC Jaffna Melbourne  OBA Perpetual Fund in 2017. An amount of Rs 3 million has been invested in Sri Lanka and the interest is paid to the College to continue the objectives of the SPC Cricket Fund.
  • In 2011, cricket gear to the value of $100 was purchased and donated to the College.
  • The surplus from the Patrician Nite 2009 – amounting to $1,500 – was remitted to the College in November 2009 to help students from the Vanni area orphaned by the war.
  • 18 boxes containing over 1000 books were sent to the College Library in September 2009.
  • Cyclone Nisha devastated the College buildings and equipment in 2008. $1,230 was sent to help towards effecting urgent repairs.
  • In September 2003, $1,202 was sent for the purchase of furniture and equipment.
  • In 1999, $1,000 was sent as the OBA’s contribution towards the building of the “LONG BLOCK”. The following Patricians donated the amount sent:

Basil Balendran $250 William Nimalraj $200
Anantharaj William $100 Anthony Gratian $100
J.G.Arulanantham $50 Edward Arulnesathasan $50
Jerad Jogaratnam $50 Francis (Isidore) Manoraj $50
Ben Ariyaratnam $50 Victor St George $50
Ranjan Gunaratnam $50

  • Between 1994 and 1998, a total of $373 was sent to the College to be used as prizes for the best performing student in the G.C.E. (O.L.). This was presented at the Annual prize giving.