Buddhist Ladies' College (BLC) stands as a premier private educational institution in Colombo, Sri Lanka, celebrating its 72nd year of dedication to shaping the future of young women. Established by the visionary educationist and lawyer, Mohandas De Mel, BLC is rooted in a rich legacy of promoting Buddhist values through education. Mohandas De Mel, following in the footsteps of his father, Harry De Mel, known as “The Lion of the Bar,” continued the family's educational mission by founding Sitavaka Vidyalaya in Avissawella, and later, recognizing the need for a girls' school in Colombo with boarding facilities, he established BLC on May 20, 1954.

BLC began its journey at Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 07, with the collaboration of Mohandas De Mel’s wife, Bernice De Mel, who played a crucial role in the hostel's management, and Clara Motwani, the school’s first principal. From its inception with 300 students, BLC has grown to accommodate 1200 students, from Montessori through to grade 13, offering a curriculum aligned with the Education Department's syllabus. The school, under the leadership of Principal Mrs. S Aviruppola, prides itself on being a diverse community that welcomes students from all backgrounds.

Notably, BLC has produced distinguished alumni who have excelled in various fields, including law, medicine, and the arts, contributing significantly to society. The management of the school is presently in the hands of Mohanlal de Mel, Manjeev de Mel, and Yohan De Mel, who are committed to upholding the high standards and educational philosophy of its founder.

With a motto of “The Utmost for the Highest,” BLC is dedicated to providing quality education and fostering well-rounded individuals who are ready to give back to their communities. As it looks to the future, the school continues to expand and adapt to meet the evolving educational needs of new generations, maintaining its status as a leading institution for girls' education in Sri Lanka.

The History of Buddhist Ladies College​

Buddhist Ladies' College (BLC), one of the premier government-approved private schools in Colombo, has been dedicated to educating new generations for 72 years. Founded by the esteemed Mohandas De Mel, an educationist and lawyer, BLC continues his family’s tradition of instilling Buddhist philosophy through education.

Mohandas De Mel’s father, Harry De Mel, known as “The Lion of the Bar” at the Law Courts in Avissawella, established the first Buddhist Swabasha school in 1898 and the first Buddhist English school in 1940. Continuing this legacy, Mohandas De Mel founded Sitavaka Vidyalaya in Avissawella, a mixed school later handed over to the government. Recognizing the need for Sinhala Buddhists to educate their daughters with hostel facilities in Colombo, Mr. De Mel launched Buddhist Ladies' College at Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 07, on May 20, 1954. His wife and co-founder, Bernice De Mel, a St. Bridget’s Convent alumna, ensured the smooth operation of the hostel and was the driving force behind the scenes.

The founding principal, Clara Motwani, a prominent educationist, established BLC as a leading girls' school, living up to its motto, “The Utmost for the Highest.” At its inception, BLC was the only Buddhist private school with a Buddhist principal and started with 300 students. Today, BLC continues to build a nation of educated, civic-minded citizens, producing generations of students who have excelled in various fields, from law and medicine to performing arts, contributing significantly to society.

Our Vision​

Empower the next generation to become valuable contributors to society, fostering economic growth, promoting peace, and enhancing personal well-being. We are committed to delivering top-notch early and secondary education services, focusing on comprehensive development—social, emotional, mental, physical, and cognitive. Our approach utilizes modern tools and methods that are not only effective but also culturally relevant, ensuring every child is equipped to thrive in today's world.

Our Mission​

Steer the young women of BLC towards becoming paragons of discipline and resilience, prepared to tackle the challenges of tomorrow's society with unwavering determination. Our mission aligns with achieving the National Education Goals, embracing innovative concepts to ensure they are ready to make a significant impact on the future.

The School Anthem

නමදිමු සැමදා……………………………//
බ ෞද්ධ කාන්තා විදුහල් මාතා

බුද්ධ, ධම්ම, සංඝ බ බෙන් ඔ වැජබේවා
එක මවකබේ දරුවන් වැනි සිසුවන් බේවා
ෙංකා දීබෙ සැමදාම කිතු ෙළබේවා
නමදිමු සැමදා……………………………//
බ ෞද්ධ කාන්තා විදුහල් මාතා

දීර වීර සාර කතුන් තව ඇති කරවා
බේබව කරන විදුහල් මාතා සැරබද්වා ෙක ැ බේවා
නමදිමු සැමදා……………………………//

ශිල්ෙ සතර නිපුන බවමින් බදස ස රකිනා
මහඟු ගුණැති සිතුවිලි සිය හදතුෙ ගන්වා
සමගි කාමි වී දියුණුව බවත ෙත් බේවා
නමදිමු සැමදා……………………………//
බ ෞද්ධ කාන්තා විදුහල් මාතා

ශාේර කො විදයා අධිෙතිනිය වීො
සිරිෙක් මව තුරුබල් දිගුෙක් ැ බේවා
නමදිමු සැමදා……………………………//
බ ෞද්ධ කාන්තා විදුහල් මාතා

ෙදමාොව – චිරානන්ද අබේබේකර මයා
තනුව – සරණ ගුප්ත අමරසිංහ මයා

Our Founders

Mr. Mohandas De Mel

Buddhist Ladies’ College owes its origin to the initiative and enterprise of Mr. Mohandas De Mel, who for many years had taken a keen interest in Buddhist education. In fact he was carrying on a family tradition. His father, the late proctor Harry de Mel of Avissawella, founded the first Buddhist Swabasha School at Avissawella as early as in 1898, and few years later, the first Buddhist English School. In 1940 Mr. Mohandas de Mel founded Sitavaka Vidyalaya at Avissawella, the first Buddhist School there.

Mrs. Bernice De Mel

Mrs. Bernice de Mel, wife of the Mr. Mohandas de Mel, was the daughter of the Late Mr. & Mrs. L. John Fernando of Panadura. She was born on 12th March 1910, and received a sound education at, a then leading girls’ school, St. Bridget’s Convent, Colombo 07.It has been said that behind the life of every successful man is a dedicated, supportive and dutiful wife, so it was with Mrs. Bernice de Mel. She encouraged all Mr. de Mel’s efforts to build up Buddhist Ladies’ College and gave unstintingly of her time.

The Academic Body

Mr. Mohanlal De Mel

Chairman / Manager

Mrs. S. Aviruppola​

Principal​

Mrs. G. Princely

Vice Principal

Where tradition, discipline, and education come together to empower young minds.

Message from the Principal

Buddhist Ladies College, founded on May 20, 1954, by Mr. Mohandas de Mel and Ms. Bernie de Mel, was established to provide Buddhist girls with quality English-medium education in a nurturing environment. Located in Colombo, the school offers hostel facilities and has a rich legacy of integrating Buddhist and cultural values under the guidance of its first principal, Ms. Clara Motwani.

Today, the college thrives as a leading government-approved institution with a modern curriculum, advanced facilities, and a dedicated teaching staff. Innovations like Artificial Intelligence in the curriculum empower students to excel in their studies and research. The unwavering support of the Past Pupils Association and parents continues to drive the institution’s success.

Together, we honor the legacy of Buddhist Ladies College while working towards a bright future.

Warm regards,
The Principal
Sandamali Aviruppola

The Teachers at Buddhist Ladies College

The dedicated teachers at Buddhist Ladies College are the heart of our institution, embodying a commitment to excellence, compassion, and holistic education. Their unwavering dedication to nurturing young minds with knowledge, values, and critical thinking skills creates an inspiring and supportive learning environment. Our teachers go beyond traditional teaching methods, fostering a culture of curiosity and lifelong learning, ensuring each student is prepared for success in an ever-changing world. At Buddhist Ladies College, our educators are not just instructors; they are mentors, role models, and guiding lights for the next generation.

Learn More