To a Maestro with love
The Musical Genius is no more. Yet his contribution to indigenous music will be remembered for generations to come. Regarded as a national treasure, Pandit Amaradeva has been our foremost musician – singer, violinist, music composer and director. Forging his own style, his contribution to the development of modern Sinhala music has been enormous. When [...]
Another life-saving medical chapter takes its first steps
Sri Lankan doctors at the National Cancer Institute in Maharagama (NCIM) working with the National Blood Transfusion Service and the Ministry of Health have become the first in this country to successfully complete a procedure known as stem cell mobilisation, a critical step leading up to another big milestone – the first autologous stem cell [...]
It took him years to figure out fiction is about characters
Sunil Yapa’s journey to his first novel,Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a Fist, began with a picture at a protest in Seattle of a woman with long red hair on the pavement on her knees in a crowd. He thought she looked like she was praying or was in pain. A man [...]
When the going got tough the Trail spirit kept them going
“When I called Sarinda and told him that I had a bad day, he told me to think about the people living with cancer, how they had to suffer every day. That got me through,” says trailblazer and General Manager of the Sri Lanka Aviation College Primal de Silva, one of 30 Trailblazers who walked [...]
Elephantine appeal to save the star of our wildlife
Elephants are in the news almost daily- as victims or villains. Many admire them for their magnificence, respecting them for their sanctity.For others, they are enemies damaging their property, destroying their crops and killing their loved ones. The Sri Lankan elephant, listed “endangered” in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is depleting- approximately 10,000 [...]
Is there such a thing as ‘Girl’ and ‘Boy’ toys?
Since of late, every time of year, seems to be pressy-time of year. Not so long ago, presents were predominantly something we started putting a lot of thought and time into once or twice a year. The indiscriminate buying spree – for those who bought into it – usually centred around traditional and religious festivals [...]
Don’t crush the blooming psyches of our children
It has become the norm for both the print and electronic media. to vie to highlight those coming in the first few places at National exams, like the Year five, O’ level and A’ level. There is no doubt that in these intensely competitive national exams, the children and their parents, both seek an excellent, [...]
On board the Pearl Of Norway
The world’s oldest working full-rigged ship, SS Sørlandet from Norway, on a two-year voyage circumnavigating the world arrived at the Colombo Port last week. Nicknamed “The Pearl of Norway”, the graceful vessel with 27 sails has sailed the oceans of the world for close to 90 years, most of the time as a training ship, [...]
A Turkish treat
It was a grand celebration at the Galle Face Hotel ballroom when Turkish ambassador Tunca Ozcuhadar hosted a reception in honour of Turkey’s National Day.
Dance they did, even on wheelchairs
The 5th BDFI International Dance Festival powered by the Sports Ministry came alive at the Nuga Sewana Hall of the BMICH in mid October. Chief Guest, Noubuko Yotsumoto, Vice President of the International Para Olympic Committee and World Dance Sport and Guest of Honour, Japanese Ambassador Kenichi Suganuma and Mrs. Suganuma were greeted by two [...]
Tracing a spice connection
One could say that Dutch historian Dr. Lodewijk Wagenaar’s passion to discover more about the lands in Asia was ignited in his grandmother’s kitchen. The smell emanating from the waffles and cookies she baked and their deliciousness fuelled his curiosity to find out more about the lands where the spices used extensively by the Dutch [...]
The return of Rockestra
Classic music joins classic rock! A 24 piece orchestra and the best voices in western music come together to give you Rockestra, a classic Funtime Production on November 25 at the Vihara Maha Devi Park. Rockestra was first produced by Imran Saibo of Funtime almost a decade ago to a sellout audience at the BMICH. [...]
Strength in working together
As she looks around at a semicircle of curious parents, Jenny Sealey extends her arms in a warm welcome. “I’m so happy to see you today,” she says, noting that they are all helping change the world of people living with special needs by helping their own children. It is the last day of a [...]
Dr. Ajith Perera receives UNASL APEX award
Two APEX awards were presented by the United Nations Association of Sri Lanka (UNASL) to activist for the rights of the disabled Dr. Ajith C. S. Perera at an event held to celebrate United Nations Day. It was the first time in Sri Lanka that a national body or a professional association has recognised the [...]
Positive Living with PD – support group strives to break barriers
Positive Living with PD – Support Group will meet on November 10 at 6.30 p.m., at the Sacred Heart Church Hall, Rajagiriya. The group is a secular, non-profit support group, that hopes to break through the stigma that surrounds Parkinson’s Disease (PD), and uplift the quality of life for all people living with PD, their [...]
Lankan chef excels at World Culinary Olympics in Frankfurt
Hotel Sapphire/ Hotel Concord’s Executive Culinary Art Chef Athula Kodikarage won two Gold Excellence awards – one Gold Excellence, one Double Gold, one Silver and two Bronze medals at the 2016 IKA World Culinary Olympics held in Frankfurt, Germany recently. Chef Kodikarage’s achievement at the Culinary Olympics brings honour to his country- the Gold Excellence [...]
SLFUW AGM on Nov. 12
The Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Federation of University Women (SLFUW) with Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy, Governor of the Central Bank as the guest speaker will be held on November 12 at 9 a.m. at the SLFUW auditorium, Kithulwatte Road , Borella. Registration of members will commence at 8.30 am. Members are requested to [...]
Letters
Drugs’ price control: Look for ways to minimise disadvantages rather than rejecting it outright During the last two to three decades successive governments, their health ministers and health authorities were criticised for not controlling the prices of medicinal drugs in Sri Lanka. So much so that some believe this paved the way for the defeat [...]
Appreciations
FELIX R. DIAS BANDARANAIKE- On his 86th birth anniversary He questioned the status quo and challenged many sacred cows Felix R. Dias Bandaranaike was a contemporary of my brother at Royal College, with whom he edited the College Magazine. I still recall vividly the oversized schoolboy on a battered bicycle, cycling down the lane where [...]