Revving up to hit the fast lane
When Rajive Wisidagama and Kelasha Withanapathirana were invited to try their hand at taking a pro-kart for a spin, things didn’t end too well. The tyres screeched, rubber was burnt, and Rajive crashed into an embankment. “Driving is not our thing,” laughs Kelasha. What really interests them is the engineering marvels of a racing machine. [...]
Letters to the Editor
Weed out the rot that has taken root within the rice industry We are today experiencing a crisis situation in the paddy/rice ‘industry’, on which millions depend for their livelihood. This is indeed a sad situation for we had an excellent paddy marketing system through the Multi Purpose Cooperatives and the Agrarian Services and Food [...]
Striking a memorable note
In the run up to Les Mis, the Sunday Times asked Soundarie David, Music Director of Soul Sounds, Ishan de Lanerolle of the De Lanerolle Brothers, and Eshantha Joseph Peiris, co-founder of the Music Matters school, for their thoughts on this renowned musical. Q: Do you have a favourite track? Soundarie:My favourite song would be [...]
The music’s the thing
Surein de S. Wijeyeratne knows musical theatre can be difficult to pull off – he just isn’t certain the rest of us realise quite how much. Performers, amateur and professional alike, must wrestle with the unique challenges of such productions: “You have to be able to fall off a piece of wood and die, while [...]
Learning art for art’s sake
Shyamala Pinto Jayawardena, Director of the Shyamala School of Art is taking her mission to further art education forward. With the launch of her Academy of Fine Arts on August 24, she is offering students who would otherwise have to leave Sri Lanka for higher studies in art, a chance to earn an internationally recognized [...]
Contempo: Old school ties that gave voice to a choral group
It is pouring with rain as I walk into Contempo choir’s rehearsals one night at St Bridget’s Convent. The girls are huddled around a piano, warming up, with choral director Sheranga Perera at the helm. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, but with that hint of excitement in the air that creeps in with an [...]
Mind Adventures stages dramatised reading of ‘Closer’
English playwright, Patrick Marber’s play ‘Closer’ premiered in 1997 in London, making Marber and his work immediately world-renowned. Closer, the 2004 movie directed by Mike Nichols had famous actors like Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts, Jude Law, and Clive Owen starring in the lead roles. Mind Adventures theatre company is staging a dramatised reading of the [...]
Unveiling the colours of the woods
‘Into the Woods’, Odel’s Fall collection arrived at Odel’s flagship store on Alexandra Road, Colombo 7 on September 4 with models taking the ramp in the atrium to present the designs. Autumnal décor set the mood for styles that went from striking prints to muted shades and heavy lace creations hinting at darker elegance for [...]
A tale told by a teen for teens of the 21st century
Devin Jinadasa’s imaginative tale of humans, werewolves and vampires living side by side reflect the wide reading and exposure to legend and folklore of the young author. He has drawn on several strands of a cosmopolitan upbringing enjoyed by Sri Lanka’s youth such as the fantasies of the Game of Thrones, the sheer magic of [...]
Galle goes biryani
Galle Fort will present its multi-cultural take on the versatile biryani on the weekend of September 18, 19 and 20, as Gourmet Galle hosts dozens of biryani stands, representing the South’s best hotels and chefs at the Galle Biryani Festival 2015. Featuring a wide range of choices, from Sri Lankan, Keralan, Hyderabadi, Pakistani and Delhi-style [...]
A royal life, a royal reign
The life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II is one of astonishing statistics: the oldest sovereign of England and Great Britain; the longest married (almost 68 years); the most photographed and the most travelled sovereign in history. To these are now to be added, the longest reigning sovereign, something which happened around 17. 30 on [...]
Appreciations
What a friend we have in mother Laurinda Jayasuriya Laurinda Jayasuriya during her fruitful life deeply experienced the amazing grace, the unfailing love and mercy of God. What she freely received she freely gave to her family, her relatives and friends and even to strangers, who to her, were friends she did not know. Laurinda, [...]
Fostering a healthy community
Most people look forward to Friday, but none so much as Colombo’s senior citizens who have their weekly gathering at St Paul’s Church Milagiriya parish hall every Friday. Walking in, we are surprised by the noise. So much for the quiet gathering we were expecting – this is a party in full swing. The Sri [...]
SLEvA ‘Responsive Evaluation’ 5th Biennial International Conference
The Sri Lanka Evaluation Association (SLEvA) in collaboration with the Finance Ministry’s Department of Project Management and Monitoring will hold its 5th Biennial International Conference on the theme ‘Responsive Evaluation’ from September 15-18 at the Balmoral Hall of the Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo. This is a move to support the decision by the United Nations [...]
SLFUW “Calypso night”
The Sri Lanka Federation of University Women has organised a “Calypso night” and a fellowship dinner at their Auditorium on Saturday, October 3. Those interested in attending are requested to contact the following for reservations and further details or visit the website – www.slfuw.org. Secretary:-2586778, 0779648464 Ass: Sec: – 0382235052, 0773403110 Office Assistant:-2682961.
Sri Lankan Ambassador in Qatar presents credentials
The newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Qatar , Prof. W.M. Karunadasa presented his credentials to Emir Sheik Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Thani, the Deputy Emir of the State of Qatar –at Amir Divani on August 31. The ceremony included a guard of honour followed by one on one discussions between the new envoy [...]
Film fundraiser for Ahangama sanctuary
In an effort to support and create awareness towards the efforts of Animal SOS Sri Lanka, a sanctuary in Ahangama, Galle that houses over 700 homeless animals, I Am Lost, a team of volunteers has organised a special screening of the classic film, Mrs. Doubtfire at Liberty Cinema, on Saturday, September 19 at 7.15 p.m. [...]
South Asian mathematics contributions
A lecture on “Indic (South Asian) contributions to global mathematics” by Prof C.K. Raju of the Centre for Studies in Civilisations in New Delhi will be held on Thursday, September 17 at 5 p.m. at the Gamini Dissanayake Auditorium, Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 7. He is the author of 12 books and dozens of articles, [...]
Ruk Rakaganno to screen ‘Taking Root’
Ruk Rakaganno has organised the screening of a film about the life and work of Nobel Peace prize winner Wangari Mathai of Kenya. Titled ‘Taking Root’, it will be screened on September 18 at 5.30 p.m. at the International Centre for Ethnic Studies-ICES, No.2 Kynsey Terrace Colombo 8. A conservationist and women’s rights activist, Mathai [...]