‘I feel utterly unworthy when I think of past greats who won this medal’
In what is probably the highest accolade paid to a Sri Lankan naturalist ever, this year’s Linnean Medal for Zoology was bestowed on Tilak Rohan David Pethiyagoda, who, though not a scientist in the formal sense, has as a naturalist been a guiding light with his magisterial Freshwater Fishes in Sri Lanka (1990) and been [...]
Dambegoda statue: In awe of a spectre of a curious, esoteric past
After the long drive from Colombo, it is a relief to pull up at Maligawila where the glades are green and shady and the cicadas’ cries are added to by the chatter of the macaques, the langur and jungle fowl. Here amidst jungle you feel the invigoration of the dry zone breezes, and a calm [...]
Purple blooms to beautify Radella shortcut
Ruk Rakaganno together with Somerset Estate in Nanu Oya has embarked on a project to plant Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) along the famous Radella shortcut which bisects this flagship tea estate. I first noticed Jacaranda in bloom on a visit to the Nilgiris in South India, in the late ’70s. The entire picturesque tea country was [...]
Letters to the Editor
Time to introduce “Recall of MPs Act” It is with great interest that I read the article titled “The citizens right to recall their elected representative is a way out of today’s constitutional impasse and the way forward” by Dr. Nirmala Chandrahasan and S. C. C. Elankovan which appeared in the “Opinion” page of the [...]
Appreciations
His memoirs a testimony to his multi-faceted personality Dr. Vernon de Silva Dr. Vernon de Silva passed away in mid-March this year. My acquaintance with Dr. Vernon began about 12 years ago when I went to his house in Moratuwa to present him a book of mine on public finance. By that time I had [...]
Drawn from the ‘hidden recesses’ of Ashok’s mind
Now entering its thirtieth year, the Gratiaen Prize for Sri Lankan writing in English announced its 2021 shortlist at an online event last Monday. While we do miss those buzzing denouements the suspense is there in the online event, new names and old juxtapose. Making it to the 2021 shortlist are: Uvini Atukorala for A [...]
Noolaham: Preserving Lanka’s Tamil language heritage digitally
The Noolaham digital library was initially a Tamil language “virtual library” which contained documents, books, manuscripts, videos, photos and other material in the Tamil language. Established in 2005, it has since expanded to include books and other documents in Sinhala, English, Sanskrit, Dutch and French. However, Noolaham is still recognised primarily as a Tamil language [...]
Don’t let those early years of your baby go by
“The main message I would like to give parents is to spend time with your children and do not underestimate those important years between 0-5. Give them that much needed stimulation, make it fun for them and play – they learn about the world through us,” says Niroshi Embuldeniya. For the past 15 years, mother [...]