Return to Sri Lanka: Indian soldier revisits a brutal battlefield
A 26-year civil war in Sri Lanka left at least 100,000 people dead on both sides of the conflict. In 1987, India sent a peacekeeping force, but it ended up getting drawn into the fighting. Thirty years on, BBC Hindi’s Vineet Khare revisits the former battlefields of Sri Lanka with a retired Indian major-general who [...]
Social Capital CEO Chamath Palihapitiya: The paradox of ego and humility
This interview with Chamath Palihapitiya, founder and chief executive of Social Capital, a leading venture capital firm in the United States, was conducted and condensed by New York Times journalist Adam Bryant. Q.What were your early years like? A. I was born in Sri Lanka. My mom was a nurse, and my dad worked in [...]
MLSC to mark 45 years of social service
Inspired by goodwill and a deep sense of caring for humanity, Nabeela Vilcassim, Shenaz Marker, Fairooza Mohammed, Areesa Ibrahim and Sithy Kadijah Abdullah, five young girls fresh out of Sacred Heart Convent, Galle took on a mission to assist underprivileged families in their neighbourhood by organising small scale fund raising events. They named their organization: [...]
Rohingya refugees: Action delayed – action denied
Refugees from foreign countries and within their own country are not anything new to people of the world, people of Sri Lanka, as well as law enforcement officers. Politically victimised citizens of foreign countries have legally or illegally come into our country and sought refuge which the governments in power at the time has dealt [...]
Admission of Sri Lankan students for medical education – time to review
In this article we discuss aspects of selection of students to medical schools and basic qualifications that students should possess to follow medical courses outside Sri Lanka with the hope of practising medicine in Sri Lanka. Undergraduate medical education in Sri Lanka began in the 19th century with a short-lived medical school in Manipay (1848) [...]
The National Trust lecture: Drawing lessons from the past for a socio-economic plan for SL
Dr Roland Silva will deliver the 100th lecture of The National Trust – Sri Lanka on October 26 at 6 p.m. at the HNB Auditorium, 22nd Floor, HNB Towers, 479 T.B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10. The title of the lecture is “A socio-cultural and economic plan for Sri Lanka, drawing on the lessons of the [...]
Global campaign to smoke out tobacco firms from UN body
UNITED NATIONS – The world’s tobacco companies – which have been widely ostracised in the UN system – may be ousted from one of their last fortified strongholds in the United Nations: the International Labour Organisation (ILO). A letter signed by nearly 200 public health organisations and labour rights groups worldwide is calling on the [...]
Economic patriotism: The nation can ignore these ideas only at its own peril
I just finished reading a rare kind of book. Politics sans Policies and Principles is a collection of essays written by Charitha Ratwatte during his brief spell as a columnist. The essays concern the deep rooted malaise of our polity. That is not why this book is unusual. Everyone has an opinion about what is [...]
Nirupama Rao to deliver the Mahatma Gandhi oration
Former Foreign Secretary of India and one-time High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Nirupama Menon Rao, will deliver the Mahatma Gandhi oration speaking on “Mahatma Gandhi: The Ageless Life” at 6 p.m. on Monday, October 23 at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies auditorium, BMICH, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7. The oration is organised by the Sri [...]
The choral extravaganza is on
The “4th Asia Pacific Choir Games” got underway at Temple Trees last evening ,October 21, and will continue till October 28 bringing together 72 choirs from nine nations in a choral extravaganza, the likes of which Sri Lanka has not seen before. The week-long festival will see three competitions unfold, each of which will have [...]
‘Dialog Ridma Rayak 2017’ on Oct. 29
‘Dialog Ridma Rayak 2017’, one of the largest shows of Sri Lankan music industry organized by the Outstanding Song Creators Association (OSCA) and sponsored by Dialog Axiata PLC, will be staged on Sunday, October 29 at 7 p.m. at the BMICH. The OSCA has helped artistes in preserving their rights, professional integrity, helping gain social [...]
Sri Lankan doctor in major cardiovascular breakthrough
Sri Lankan born Dr. Chrishan Ramachandra is part of Singapore’s National Heart Centre research team that uses stem cells to identify novel therapies for patients with cardiovascular disorders. Sudden cardiac death (SCD) due to abnormal heart rhythm has become increasingly prevalent in today’s population. Studying SCD is challenging as it is nearly impossible to obtain [...]
Prof. Mendis analyses Confucian links in Xi’s Belt-and-Road Initiative
Hong Kong – October 17: Harvard Sino-American policy expert Dr. Patrick Mendis recently addressed the inaugural Belt & Road Lecture at the Faculty of Education in the Hong Kong University (HKU), which has been ranked fourth in the world. The public lecture entitled “American Vision and Chinese Mission: Will President Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative [...]
YWMA holds Eye camp in Welamboda
The Young Women Muslim Association in collaboration with its Watadeniya branch held an eye camp at Welamboda Muslim Maha Vidyalaya recently. YWMA President Fawaza Thaha chaired the event. Project Chairperson Mackiya Muzammil, Vice President Marliya Siddeeque, Secretaries Fareeda Nazeer and Suraiya Rizvi, Treasurer Kanees Malik, Branch President Johairiya Gafoor and other members participated at the [...]