[1][2] Former students include the first President of the Maldives, Mohamed Amin Didi, the third President of Sri Lanka, Ranasinghe Premadasa, Nirj Deva Member of the British Parliament and Cardinal Thomas Cooray, the first Catholic Cardinal from Sri Lanka.

[4] With the foundation stone laid in December 1894, by the Papal Delegate for Asia, St. Joseph's College, Colombo, was declared open on 2 March 1896.

The college building was formally declared open by Governor of Ceylon, West Ridgeway, and was blessed by Msgr.

One of Nicholas' achievements was the creation of the first religious association of the college, the Guild of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Continuing the expansion to meet the growing demand for education, in 1933, the present primary building, originally named "The Maurice Block", became the newest addition.

As a botanist, he published Tropical Botany, a text that was widely known in Ordinary Level classes, both in India and Sri Lanka.

Legoc was also responsible and introduced a scheme of scholarships for the under privileged students, making a difference to the lives of the needy and that of the future generations.

Legoc's vision was to widen the provision of education, continuing to make a difference to the lives of those we had to reach.

Peter Pillai OMI was the fifth Rector, from 1940 to 1961, the first Sri Lankan, a great scholar widely respected in Asia.

The College buildings were taken over by the Army during World War II, but the institution continued education with branches housed in Homagama, Kelaniya, Gampaha and later at Borella.

[citation needed] St. Joseph's oldest cricket rival is St. Anthony's College, Kandy.