[5][6][7][8] The school was inaugurated in 1978 as Janadipathy Vidyalaya and later renamed as Panadura Royal College.
[9] Current students of the school are referred to in the press as Panadura Royalists.
The college is spread across over 14 hectares (34 acres), and has a complete Information Technology Centre, facilities of over 10 scientific labs, auditoriums, Sports Complex with squash courts, basketball courts and table tennis, an international standard rugby football ground and a modern gymnasium, 2 cricket grounds and nets, swimming pool with diving facilities, along with volleyball and tennis courts.
[15] The Big Match is played for Mervyn Joseph Cooray Shield.
[16] Panadura Royal College has two main alumni associations.