Ramanathan Academy of Fine Arts | |
Native Name: | இராமநாதன் நுண்கலைத்துறை |
Type: | School of Fine Arts |
Affiliation: | University of Jaffna |
Parent: | Faculty of Arts |
City: | Maruthanarmadam |
Province: | Northern Province |
Country: | Sri Lanka |
The Ramanathan Academy of Fine Arts is a school of fine art and a division of the University of Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka.
The Ramanathan Academy of Fine Arts (RAFA) was founded as a tribute to Sir P. Ramanathan. by his son-in-law, S. Natesan[1] [2] The academy was located at Maruthanarmadam near Chunnakam and its purpose was to promote the education of Tamil classical music and Bharata Natyam.[1] [2]
RAFA was taken over by the University of Sri Lanka in December 1975 and placed under the Jaffna Campus' Faculty of Arts.[1] [2] RAFA was part of the faculty's Department of Fine Arts. The Jaffna Campus was elevated to university status on 1 January 1979 with the creation of the University of Jaffna.[1] In 1992 RAFA was separated from the Department of Fine Arts.[1] RAFA has two departments - Dance and Music - and an Art and Design Unit.[3] Initially functioning as a unit within the Department of Fine Arts, the RAFA eventually evolved and gained status as a distinct department of study within the Faculty of Arts in 1992.[4]