Baring bear facts
A challenging study by two researchers will soon reveal the little known lifestyle of the Wilpattu sloth bear. Kumudini Hettiarachchi reports They roughed out in the wilds day and night, keeping their eyes glued on the thickets to get a glimpse of these elusive creatures, peered at them through powerful cameras and captured them on [...]
Letters
A sight that warmed my heart Earlier this month, Britto Motha, well-known social worker, celebrated his 90th birthday with a Thanksgiving Mass in his church. Well before the service started, we were happily surprised to see Britto escort a Buddhist monk up the aisle to the front pew. A white cloth was laid on it [...]
Appreciations
Olga Crake Our fondest memories still linger The light from our family is gone A voice we loved is still A place is vacant in our home Which never can be filled. We have to mourn the loss Of one we would have loved to keep But God surely loved her more And finally made [...]
Extreme adventure with a touch of luxury
Geoffrey Kent’s parents were on safari in Zambia when he was born. It was a suitably exotic and adventurous beginning to the life of a man who, at 72, shows no signs of slowing down. Kent is the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Abercrombie & Kent Group, one of the world’s top [...]
Joys of outdoor fun for cerebral palsy children
“Change My World In One Minute” is the heart-rending cry of children afflicted with Cerebral Palsy. This moving call is the theme for the current year of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation and the response has been the Wheelchair swing. October 1, 2014 was commemorated jointly by the World Health Organisation Country Office for Sri Lanka, [...]
Sri Lanka facing virtual epidemic of stroke
Consultant Neurologist Dr. Udaya Ranawaka discusses the importance of awareness, prevention and treatment of this life-threatening disease as the ‘Bill of Rights of Stroke Patients’ is to be launched here on World Stroke Day Epoch-making it will be for Sri Lanka, when on Wednesday, the ‘Bill of Rights of Stroke Patients’ will be launched in [...]
Top child neurologist on special mission with LRH for youngsters with epilepsy
When Dr. Sandy Para Waran began his career, his field of practice-child neurology- was a fairly new one in Sri Lanka and around the world. Now it has evolved into a practice that is both multifaceted and significant to a child’s development. “It’s amazing how quickly things can change,” he says. Meeting the Sunday Times [...]
Colombo Dance Platform keeps in step with traditional and modern
The Colombo Dance Platform will launch into its third edition come next week, in a three-day session titled ‘Transforming Bodies’. Curated by Anna Wagner from Germany, the Colombo Dance Platform is organised by the Goethe Institut. The Colombo Dance Platform (CDP), much like its artistic contemporary, the Colombo Art Biennale, explores contemporary dance practices in [...]
Russian musicians star in SOSL Premiere concert
Two eminent Russian musicians will perform with the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka at the SOSL Premiere Concert on November 1 at the Ladies’ College Hall at 7 p.m. Ksenia Zharko, winner of international conducting awards is a conductor whose passion ignites the orchestra to performing at their best. The concert will commence with Weber’s [...]
Local and foreign couples for Dancesport Championship
All you dance enthusiasts out there, it is that time of the year once again to witness the country’s most anticipated dance championship. The Footwork International Dancesport Championship 2014, organised by Footwork Events, will come alive at the Hilton Ballroom on Sunday, November 2 from 6.30 p.m. This year’s Championship will open up the floor [...]
Driven to tell stories of the forgotten Boer POWs
‘The last irreconcilable’ as he was known, Henry Engelbrecht, the first game warden of Sri Lanka’s most famous national park was a Boer Prisoner of War who tended the sanctuary for 21 long years with great devotion. It was in search of the camps where he and some 5,000 others like him who had been [...]
Validity of visa
The U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka is proud to partner with the Sunday Times in this bi-weekly “Ask the Consul” column to answer common questions about the visas to the United States. This week we answer new questions posed by readers about visas to the United States 1. My visa to travel to the United [...]
Minimal modern chic on the beach
Salty air and the sound of waves tease anyone at the entrance of Taprobana in Wadduwa. The minimal décor of the porch-a cement shaded structure is the first thing one notices when stepping in to the premises. Substituting the general lounge-music common in hotel lobbies the sound of waves and the scent of the ocean [...]
It’s got ‘boutique’ in its DNA
Veteran hotelier, Chandra Mohotti, once challenged me to explain what is a boutique hotel. I suggested: “a small, exclusive hotel with unusual décor, featuring well-designed rooms, exceptional food with intelligent, personalised service, set in a secluded location, run to guests’ whims rather than management’s regime.” I avoided adding “with snobbish intent,” although that is apparent [...]
A daring iconoclastic novel
Manuka Wijesinghe’s novels are entertaining as they address a variety of local social, cultural and political issues from an anti-establishment viewpoint. They are also imbued with a strong idiosyncratic flavour. This fearless writer uses her pen like a surgical knife to dissect Sri Lankan society. In her new satirical novel, “Sinhala Only”, she replaces the [...]
Sir Cyril de Zoysa: He espoused a great cause
October 26, 1896 was a very special day for the family at Kankanangedera of Welitara Totamuna in Balapitiya for it was on this day that their second child was born – not at this very address but in the adjoining city of Galle. His parents, Solomon de Zoysa, a Notary, and his wife, Harriet, may [...]
Illegal captures: A serious threat to our elephants
The affinity between people and elephants has been an integral part of Asian civilisations. The elephant has been a prominent part of their cultural, economic and religious traditions. The ancient kings of Sri Lanka captured and tamed wild elephants, which used to abound in the country then. The human population was small and the elephants [...]
Don’t put all your egregiousness in one basket case
A funny thing happened on the way to the forum. The forum being not Parliament or any other legislative assembly, but the Lionel Wendt Auditorium. Or as the producers of Pusswedilla would call it, “Arsikland Nashnel Theatre – fomelly known as Lynel Went”. That night the event on was the third evening of Thank You [...]
Public Speaking World Champion is honoured
Toastmasters International World Champion – 2014 for Competitive Public Speaking, Dananjaya Hettiarachchi – was recently honoured by Strategic Risk Solutions for his remarkable achievement. Picture shows Damith Kurunduhewa – CEO / Lead Trainer of Strategic Risk Solutions (on left) presenting a memento to Mr. Hettiarachchchi.
Home away from home at Girls hostel
After a hard day of studies and lectures, the 24 girls head to their ‘home’ away from home -, their hostel, where the aromas of warm curries greet them. This hostel at Kithulwatte Road, Borella is different from any others of its kind. This is a place where they have warmth and a touch of [...]
All Island award for ACCA achiever
Rashmi Fernando who attained the highest marks in Sri Lanka for two examinations of ACCA receives the All Island Award from the Chairman, HR Cornucopia Lanka Ltd, Dinesh Weerakkody who was chief guest at the ACCA Prizewinners’ Ceremony held at the Kingsbury Hotel on October 16. Rashmi, who is the daughter of Capt. Rohith and [...]
SLWA in UK celebrates 65th anniversary
LONDON — The Sri Lanka Women’s Association, (SLWA) in the UK celebrated its 65th anniversary with a traditional tea party at the House of Lords, hosted by Lord Naseby, a longstanding friend of the Association, who had also hosted the Association’s 60th anniversary. President of the SLWA, Ms. Calista Jayasinghe, welcomed the guests and invited [...]
RASSL lecture: Sri Lanka-China historical relations
The Royal Asiatic Society Sri Lanka’s (RASSL) monthly lecture will be on “China -Sri Lanka Historical Relations” by Ven. Dr. Madurawala Sobhitha, BA (Hons), MA, PhD (China)Senior Lecturer, Department of History, University of Peradeniya, on Monday, October 27 at 5 p.m. at the Gamini Dissanayake Auditorium, No. 96, Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 7. All are [...]
Joys of outdoor fun for cerebral palsy children
“Change My World In One Minute” is the heart-rending cry of children afflicted with Cerebral Palsy. This moving call is the theme for the current year of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation and the response has been the Wheelchair swing. October 1, 2014 was commemorated jointly by the World Health Organisation Country Office for Sri Lanka, [...]
