Fulfilling a dream with a little help from a pen-pal
Pen-pal bonding as 14-year-olds across the wide seas looking eastward became the stepping stone for a pioneering venture in the 1960s which has stood the test of time and the challenges of the new coronavirus. There is no need to search for the ‘bonikko’ factory, everyone knows it is down Shanthi Mawatha in Kottawa. Humble [...]
The lawyer from Mannar who won’t give up the fight
She has been in the headlines this week and now has her own Wikipedia page, but 41-year-old Ranitha Gnanarajah, just three days after receiving an International Women of Courage award, is busy at her simple Bambalapitiya office- buried in files even though it’s Mahasivaratri – when it’s time for family kovil vigils, marigold garlands and [...]
Letters to the Editor
It won’t be long before paradise isle turns into a desert under this Govt. I was bewildered to hear from the JVP’s youth wing that more than 10,000 acres of forest had already been destroyed since the present Government took office. The JVP’S national youth wing organizer Eranga Gunasekera revealed this bitter fact at a [...]
Appreciations
Here’s to your illustrious career and innate goodness Dr. Sivasambu Anandaraja It’s an honour and privilege to pen this tribute to Ana. His life was adventurous, interesting and full. His schooling was at Royal College,Colombo where he was a prefect, managed the Senior Literary Association and was a proud participant in the debating team. At [...]
A jumbo task that can be done more humanely
The wildlife officials of Sri Lanka do an amazing job of rescuing wild elephants trapped in hideous contraptions such as crude barbed wire devices made by us humans as well as agri-wells, and irrigation canals. We must salute these officials who spend hours of arduous work to get the unfortunate animals out of their misery. [...]
Coconut as food grade fibre? What the rats tell us
Split the hard shell of a coconut, and you find a delicious milky kernel. Scrape the kernel from the nut and you get fresh coconut meat. Coconut milk is extracted from the meat with or without the addition of water. The fibrous remainder, polkudu, is usually thrown away. “Don’t throw away the polkudu,” says Dr. [...]
WNPS lecture on saving our oceans
This month’s Wildlife and Nature Protection Society lecture is on ‘Oceans in peril: Plastic pollution and unsustainable fishing practices.’ Presented by Laura Hardman and Sophika Kostyniuk, it will be delivered on March 18 at 7.30 p.m. via Zoom. Those interested could sign up on:https://forms.gle/rVtfzoZV41UzEGdNA The High Commission of Canada is pleased to share experts from [...]
CFW @18 looks at fashion in a post-COVID reality
Continuing to uphold their core beliefs in sustainable and ethical fashion, the 18th edition of HSBC Colombo Fashion Week will focus on the increasingly important aspect of circularity for their Summer 2021 showcase taking place from March 25 to 27. This year’s theme of Circularity in Fashion focuses on transformation in fashion, inspiring meaningful change [...]
The Billionaire comes to Colombo
Bringing a little slice of Hollywood fanfare to the cinemas of his native country, leading baritone and filmmaker Gehan Cooray celebrated the Sri Lankan premiere of his feature film ‘The Billionaire’ at PVR Cinemas – One Galle Face on Wednesday. The exclusive event saw many of Colombo’s elite in their red carpet best, as they [...]
When a packed congregation listened in hushed and reverential silence
The Colombo Philharmonic Choir was established by Dr. Gerald Cooray on December 6, 1955 by joining the Maradana Methodist Choir which was conducted by him (where he was also the organist), with the Colpetty Methodist Church choir. Both had good choirs and the combined choir thus formed began giving recitals of sacred music in the [...]
No one prepares you for the joy of fatherhood
We have loads of management books on various subjects but preparing one’s mindset to handle your child will always be a challenge. From the outset, I knew bringing up my baby girl will not be a science but most certainly art. When my daughter was born, like all first-time fathers, I had zero experience. The [...]
Bid for a luxury holiday and help give drinking water to a village
Appe Lanka is inviting all large-hearted Sri Lankans to bid for exciting luxury getaways that have been gifted to Appe Lanka in their mission to provide safe drinking water to the village of Poonakary. “You can bid and have a great holiday at the fraction of the cost and know that the entirety of your [...]