He reached the unreachable star
I hope to walk again in the future! The conviction with which it is being said is convincing and from what this Sri Lankan-born young doctor has achieved, in the face of the cruel buffetings of life, seems an achievable ambition. For many others it is like an impossible dream but not to 32-year-old Dinesh [...]
This visionary leader would have played a vital role today
When he was tragically gunned down on April 23, 1993, Sri Lanka lost one of her greatest leaders. An able and erudite politician, brilliant orator and promising national leader, memories of his charisma and vibrant personality live on. The Mahapola Scholarship scheme he set up has over the years enabled thousands of promising underprivileged students [...]
A place to learn, laugh, and create
Splashes of colour — a mix of reds and greens in one corner of a room, while in another bright purples and yellows! Twos and threes in little knots concentrate on their tasks of producing brightly-coloured gift-wrapping paper exhibiting fir trees, candles and flowers, cloth rugs, mats and bags and even beautiful bead necklaces and [...]
Do not get up if little green light is flashing!
It is not every day that you come across this strange message. So what do you do if the Little Green Light is flashing and you want to get up? The simple answer is: Don’t! Some readers are probably confused now! No! I was not on the “Starship Enterprise” going through Hyperspace. I was just [...]
Marriage guardianship: Why the deathly silence?
One wonders why the proposed amendments to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) have not addressed the issue of marriage guardianship? There has been a deathly silence surrounding this matter with all those involved in the review process being so tight-lipped about it that one wonders whether there is a hidden agenda to promote [...]
Rising smoothly, silently
December signals the ballooning season in Sri Lanka. Flying up, up and away on a hot air balloon early in the morning will give you the immeasurable thrill of experiencing a bird’s-eye view of how the rising sun paints the landscape with wonderful colours. This year Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts opens their new attraction of [...]
Long, straight, curly, fuzzy; all there
Ramani Fernando along with Sunsilk celebrated the 40th anniversary of her career as a pioneer hairdresser and unveiled the new hair care range of Sunsilk on November 15 at the Hilton Colombo. It was an evening full of fashion with music and entertainment in good measure. ‘Hairstory’ started off with a bridal show showcasing seven [...]
Bouquets and brickbats, the lot of a daring journalist
As one of Britain’s leading foreign correspondents Christina Lamb has risked her life more than once, writing about terrorism, torture and tyrants, but one of her most famous subjects was just a young girl when they first met. Lamb likes to talk about how Malala Yousafzai has these two sides: “Malala is a fascinating mixture [...]
EWC evening of poetry, music
The annual event of the English Writers Cooperative of Sri Lanka (EWC) will be held this year at the Indian Cultural Centre, 16/1 Gregory’s Road, Colombo 07 on Friday, November 25, from 6.30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The evening’s programme begins with the reading of extracts of current creative writing of EWC members by Myrle [...]
Gratiaen Prize: Send your creations and translations
Submissions for the Gratiaen Prize 2016 and the H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize for Translation 2016 will open from December 1 to 31, 2016. Both prizes cover a wide range of genres including fiction, poetry, creative prose and literary memoir. More details on prize submission and regulations can be found on www.gratiaen.com Founded and funded by Michael [...]
Let’s talk Art: Here and in the region
The team behind this year’s edition of the upcoming Colombo Art Biennale have been untangling notions of spaces. ‘Conceiving space’, the theme for the biennale is a result of these explorations and taps into the zeitgeist of Colombo as it stands today – a mutable city at the crossroads of change. The theme ‘Conceiving space’and [...]
From horsing around to a mission, Freddy’s antics
Feroze Kamardeen is back with his particular brand of humour – no, not another Pusswedilla but a character with a penchant for getting into sticky situations. Catch ‘Freddy’ from November 24-27 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre. Here’s a peek into the world of Freddy (continued from last week): Day 6 – Horsing Around Today I [...]
Putting her bright foot forward
When Joanne Stoker took the Design Katha platform on the final day of Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF), the luxury footwear designer was a radiant glow of colour down to her quirkily elegant red and zebra striped shoes with a printed pearl heel. The only way one can describe Joanne’s style is simply- colourful. The [...]
The three Ps that go a long way in design
When David Gardener spoke at Design Katha as a part of the Sri Lanka Design Festival held earlier this month at the Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre, his topic “Brands of War” did more than advise the audience on the concerns and “how to’s” of branding. “Students think it’s about designing an identity,” he [...]
A farewell party
President Maithripala Sirisena, politicians, diplomats, and many well known personalities in the Colombo scene were present to bid goodbye to Indian High Commissioner Y.K. Sinha and Mrs. Girija Sinha at a farewell reception hosted by the Indian High Commission on the Taj Samudra lawn on November 4.
Such was the man- Doctor, scholar and so much more
When the Heart and the Brain Disagree”is the intriguing title of the 29th K. N. Seneviratne Memorial Oration held by the Physiological Society of Sri Lanka in memory of Prof. K.N. Seneviratne, the greatest physiologist the Colombo Medical School ever had. The oration to be held at the Faculty of Medicine Colombo on November 25 [...]
Thirty artists to showcase their work
“Siththaru Andi Ru 04” – an exhibition from November 25 to 27 at the Lionel Wendt Gallery will feature the work of 30 acclaimed artists. The paintings on display including water colours, poster colours, oils, acrylics and line art will be available for sale. The artists will also do sketches for art lovers. The newest [...]
Needle Creations’ annual sale
‘Needle Creations’ will hold their second annual exhibition and sale from November 25-27 at No. 983/D, Lake Drive, Pannipitiya Road, Pelawatte, Battaramulla. Run by Ramani Liyanage and Shamini Rockwood, who both have extensive training in needlecraft in the US, New Zealand and Australia, ‘Needle Creations’ caters to students in all three languages looking to learn [...]
Ananda College: AGM for over 60s
The 26th Annual General Meeting of The Senior Old Anandians will be held at ‘Siyawasa Auditorium’ on November 27. Anadians who are over 60 years of age are welcome to attend. If you are not a member already you may become a member.
Supporting Soul Sounds
Fairway Holdings have continued their partnership with Soul Sounds, Sri Lanka’s award winning all women choir, directed by well-known pianist and musician, Soundarie David Rodrigo. In the picture are (left –right) Sandamali Hewanayake, Senior Manager Corporate Communications, Imal Fonseka, Group Chief Executive Officer, Fairway Holdings Group handing over the sponsorship to Soundarie David Rodrigo, Music [...]
Lanka’s High Commissioner presents credentials to Queen
Sri Lanka’s new High Commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Amari Mandika Wijewardene presented her Letter of Credentials to Queen Elizabeth II on November 15 at a ceremonial event held at Buckingham Palace. High Commissioner Wijewardene, who was escorted to Buckingham Palace, accompanied by four other Sri Lankan diplomats, by [...]
It’s the season for cake mixing, making
Getting ready to embrace the spirit of Christmas the Galadari Hotel management headed by the General Manager Sampath Siriwardena together, with guests held the traditional cake mixing at the Centre Lobby on October 28. The gigantic 350 kg cake mixture which was done to resemble a“Santa Face” was mixed by all. Taking centrestage was the [...]
GFS pre-Christmas sale
A pre-Christmas Sale organised by the GFS will be held on November 25 from 8 a.m. onwards at the GFS Hall, Colombo 3. Plenty of Christmas decorations, cards, gift items, Christmas goodies, cake, puddings, jam, cup cakes, lamprais and ready made clothes, sarees, handicraft and stationery items will be available. Funds raised will be for [...]
Tonight! our very own Woodstock
Remember Woodstock? The legendary Music Festival held in Bethel, New York in 1969, that drew a crowd in excess of 1m people over the 4-day festival? Woodstock Colombo aims to celebrate the enduring legacy of this most famous music festival, bringing together Sri Lanka’s most renowned musicians to perform on one platform at Woodstock Colombo [...]
Rotarians come together to give a hand to Colombo Friend-In-Need Society
A Mobile Audio-Visual, Diabetic Screening and Prosthetic Limb Facility & Jaipur Foot Limbs were donated to the Colombo Friend-In-Need Society (CFINS) by Rotarians from Mumbai, Sri Lanka and Rotary International on November 10. On this day of a significant milestone in the service of the Rotary Club of the Capital City and the Rotary Clubs [...]
Letters
India’s demonetisation: We did it first in 1970 I am surprised that the media has not yet picked up the fact that ‘Ceylon’ pioneered this demonetisation exercise in 1970. I was then Government Agent of Matara and thus, in the thick of the programme. I now quote from my account in “Tales from the Provinces”: [...]
Appreciations
EMIL JOSEPH AJANTHA COOREY Admired in the legal profession, he was a generous man The 15th death anniversary of Emil Joseph Ajantha Coorey, Senior Attorney-at-Law falls on November 29. On the very morning of November 29 2001 he came to Hulftsdorp and having appeared in a case went home. In the same afternoon he glided [...]