Since Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) was under British rule, the Buddhism and the Buddhist Culture were almost in dark atmosphere, no one was dared to challenge the Missionary education. But during the 8th decade of the 19th century an American gentleman by the name Col. Henry Steel Olcott realised the value and vision of the Lord Buddha's Teachings after hearing the famous debates, namely "The Gampola", "The Panadura", "The Udanvita", The Baddegama" and "Colomba Urugodawatta" (the debates held in those palaces) arrived in Ceylon. Thus reforms to the Buddhism and Buddhist culture began having realised that a strong challenge had to be faced with regard to Missionary education, he along with Hon. Anagarika Dharmapala, Most Venerable Mohottiwatte Gunananda Thera, Most Venerable Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera inaugurated some Buddhist Schools. They are Maradana Buddhist English School (later Ananda College), Dharmaraja College - Kandy, Mahinda College - Galle. Some eminent Buddhist leaders in Kotte during that period, too, realising their responsibility towards the Buddhist activities set up a school by the name Kotte Bauddha (Buddhist) Mixed School on the November 4, 1880. This was a very remote and primary step towards their responsibility and on the January 1, 1890, the Venerable Emulgama Wimalatissa Thera along with eminent leaders in the Dayaka Sabha of the Raja Maha Viharaya, Kotte Headed by Thepanis Perera Appuhamy and few others further enhanced the educational facilities of the school and renamed it "Kotte Bauddha (Buddhist) English Mixed School" and we consider that this is the plant of present Ananda Sastralaya as it was located in a block of land transferred by Raja Maha Viharaya. Ranasingha for the period 1890-1903. Jayatilaka (later Sir D.B. Jayatilaka) was the Head Master during 1903 to 1905. There is evidence that Col. Olcott had graced the occasion twice as the chief guest in the years 1903 and 1904 at the school's prize giving. Then it became "Jayawardena Shasthra Sh***va" in 1910, when D.J. Jayatunga was the Headmaster for the period 1905 to 1922. This is the era that the Buddhist Theosophical Society was founded for rehabilitation of Buddhist activities and for the proper administration of Buddhist Schools took over the administration of this Jayawardena Shasthra Sh***va and renamed it as Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte. They appointed S.P. Perera for the Post of Headmaster, who was the Head Master of Aananda College. After his retirement in 1934, The B.T.S. appointed Dr. E.W. Adikaram, a distinguished scholar after his Ph.D at the Oxford University, England. He made Ananda Sastralaya, a well organised educational institution by adding Laboratories, a main hall, a hostel, a playground. He left the school in 1934 and Bernard Wickramasingha succeeded. This was the period that the game of cricket first played in Sastralaya. The team was coached by a professional A.G.K. Gunatilaka. During his period, the school had to be decentralised and so many branches were started in various palaces of the country, Matugama, Badulla, Maharagama, Karawanella, Battaramulla etc. consequent upon the decision to take over the school to Ceylon Army to have a army camp in the school premises as Ceylon had engaged with the Second World War because Ceylon was still under the British rule. After the War school restarted and it is there upto now. Then we see a galaxy of distinguished personnel by the names N.W. De Costa, Mahinda Palihawadana (later Professor), Gunapala Wickramaratna, C.M. Ariyaratna, A. Pasqual, W.T.P. Tillekaratna are among the lot. In 1961, the entire system of education was administered by the Government consequent upon the decision to implement National System of Education, thereby all the schools managed by the B.T.S. and some Christian Schools managed by the Churches were taken over by the Government under the Parliamentary Act to take over the assisted schools. In 1963, a reorganisation took place by amalgamating some primary schools surrounded by Sastralaya who had classes from 1st to 6th standard to Sastralaya. Once again the school was divided into two institutions in 1971, the girls section was separated and shifted to a block of land at Pagoda owned by Sastralaya, which was obtained by Dr. E.W. Adikaram way back in 1940 approximately. Actually it was a gift to Ananda Sastralaya. After 1971, Ananda Sastralaya became a boys' school. Ananda Sastralaya posses a very valuable archaeological site belongs to the Portugese period. There is a tunnel erected in the 16th century by the Ceylonese stalwarts to pass through to Portuguese Fort situated in Colombo. It has been revealed that there were three entrances one is at the pond belongs to Balapokuna Viharaya at Kirulapona, the other one is beyond our search.
