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In 1901, the late Lawrie Muthu Krishna, founder of The Polytechnic Ltd., had the insight and vision to understand what might be the tertiary and vocational education requirements of a country. This realization resulted in the establishment of an institute which would cater to this need and with it, Lawrie Muthu Krishna introduced for the first time in Ceylon, tertiary and vocational education.

Till such time, the educational structure was based purely on conventional foundation. With the establishment of the first private business college of its type in Colombo 12, a new era for learning had begun. His sisters, Olive and Violet, having received their education in a wide range of commercial subjects at the Madrras Technical College, returned to Colombo to help their brother.

As The Polytechnic steadily grew, it became necessary to move out of the overpopulated city and into the move residential suburbs of Bambalapitiya, and later, Wellawatte. Muthu Krishna encouraged his two sisters to take up to teaching the growing number of students who had enroled at its branches in the Fort and in Wellawatte.

It is interesting to note that many young women, who did not enter university, found The Polytechnic the ideal institute to study and to qualify in communication skills, business correspondence, secretarial subjects, management, bookkeeping and accounts and other popular courses which motivated them to becoming independent and interesting members of the community.

While the two sisters became fully occupied in teaching Muthu Krishna set about opening his firm, Lawrie Muthu Krishna. Public Accountants and Auditors at Negirs Building, Fort.Among his clients were the Buddhist Theosophical Society with its island-wide schools, the Panadura Motor Transit Company, the estates of the Kotalawela, de Soysa and Dias-Pieris, Baur and Co., and leading merchants from the Sindhi, Memon, Gujerati and Borach communities. His firm of accountants and auditors had to seek a larger office to suit the needs of the diverse clientele, and moved to Chatham Street, Fort, where it remained till the outbreak of the Second World War.

He was held in high esteem among the business community of that time, and was appointed to a 10 member Accountancy Board in 1941, by, the then Minister of Commerce Claude Corea, under the Auditors regulation 1941 of Companies ordinance. This was the first board to be constituted to control the accountancy profession in Ceylon, and in 1960, was succeeded by the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Being the only institute at the time to offer tertiary and vocational education to both men and women, The Polytechnic became well known among all the communities of the country. Families felt comfortable in sending their children as they were assured of the high teaching standards, the quality of its tutorial staff, the discipline, and the personal attention and care extended to them by this gentleman and his two sisters.

Besides his practice as an accountant and principal of two branches - Fort and Wellawatte - Muthu Krishna was also an examiner of questioned documents with many clients, there being none in the private sector for many years.

With the institute being appointed representative for several UK examining bodies, the students found the varied courses and recognized qualifications, of offered exciting and attractive opportunities to gain employment.

In keeping with the changing attitudes and lifestyles of the people of Sri Lanka, The Polytechnic has reached out to all sections of the country's society, offering a diverse range of courses which would be attractive and meaningful to students seeking to enhance their skills.

With the establishment of a new IT Centre The Polytechnic continues to update and design new courses in keeping with the varied employment opportunities arising in both the government and private sectors.

At a time when the country's educational goals need to be strengthened, it is perhaps necessary to think aloud of some of the achievements this institute has made, and the opportunities given to the men and women of our country, having seen the need for change 100 years ago.

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