Famine needed to be wiped out, poverty alleviated and the abundant wealth of the land to be cultivated to generate food for the increasing population. D.S.Senanayake, the first Prime Minister of independent Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) was determined to make the dry zone suitable for agriculture. It was within this backdrop, the development of the Gal Oya project was accelerated, which later became one
of his great achievements. In the year 1951, Gal Oya Valley Project took on the task of irrigating, supplying electricity, improving agricultural techniques, protecting against floods, developing roads, cities and villages in 1200 square-mile area in the historic Digamadulla region. Soon after its inception, the Gal Oya Valley development project suffered from a serious dearth of skilled manpower. The Technical Training Institute (TTI) at Ampara, today known as the Hardy College of Technology, was built to produce the expertise and manpower required by the Gal Oya Valley Development project. It was built and equipped with assistance of the Colombo Plan, Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the Asia Foundation. Allen Hardy, arrived from Canada in Sri Lanka as the UN/FAP Advisor to the Department of Agriculture. He worked at the Maha Illuppalama Agricultural Centre and later was appointed to direct a training programme and to set up the The Technical Training Institute with “Honesty-Training-Industry” as its motto. Courses for the first batch of students commenced on 14 January 1956. The institute conducted two-years Diploma Courses in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Agriculture Engineering. The United Kingdom and Canada classified the TTI as a Regional Technical Training Institute (RTTI) for South East Asian Countries under the Colombo Plan. From 15 January 1956 to the time of his death on 4 December 1963 (while serving TTI), Prof. Allen Hardy served in the TTI not only to make engineers of men who had no mechanical experience but also to get them to assume their responsibility ‘on-the-job’. As a tribute him, TTI was renamed Hardy Technical Training Institute (HTTI) after his death. In 1967, the institute was handed over to the Technical Education Unite of the Ministry of Education and subsequently, renamed the Hardy Senior Technical Institute (HSTI). In 1976, the National Diploma in Technology (NDT) engineering second year courses were transferred from HSTI to Katubedda which later became a separate unit under the University of Moratuwa. In 1980, all Diploma level engineering courses were transferred to the University of Moratuwa except NDT (Agriculture) and other trade courses. In 1986, the entire administration of the Institute was brought under the Department of Technical Education and Training and HSTI was renamed as Hardy Technical College (HTC). In 1996, supporting the national policy to establish Sri Lanka institute of Advanced Technical Education, HTC handed over the NDT (Agriculture) to the new institute which was temporary allowed to use some buildings. Under Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) reform, upgrading of machineries and workshops of the institute commenced in 2005. In Agust 2005, The Colombo Plan renewed its assistance to Hardy College by the provision of a grant of US$ 10,000to upgrade their equipment. Under TVET reforms, a policy decision had also been taken to upgrade the institute as the College of Technology for the Eastern Province which would provide upward pathway for Technological Degrees (National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) – Level 7) by conducting National Diploma (NVQ – Level 5) and Higher National Diploma (NVQ – Level 6) under the NVQ framework. In February 2009, Hardy Technical College became the Hardy College of Technology for Eastern Province in Sri Lanka and once again commenced Diploma and Higher Diploma courses.
