"Sinhala Puwathpath Prakasanaye Aarambhaya saha Vikashanaya" (The Origin & Evolution of Sinhala Newspaper Publication) by Dr. Nihal Ranjith Jayathilake, Deputy General Manager of the People's Bank was launched on September 23 at the Auditorium of the Sri Lanka National Library Services Board. This book, a Sarasavi publication is based on research done by Dr. Jayathilake for his Ph.D awarded by the University of Sri Jayewardenapura.
In compiling this book 77 mainstream Sinhala newspapers from "Lanka Lokaya" published in 1860 (considered as the first Sinhala newspaper in the country) and publications of "Dinamina" newspaper up to the year 1916 (56 years), have been comprehensively scrutinized.
Venerable Professor Bellanwila Wimalarathana Thero, the Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayawardenepura, was present at the launch along with Chairman of People's Bank W.Karunajeewa. Prof. Sunanda Mahendra, Prof. Ganganath Dissanayake, Dr. Praneeth Abeysundara and Gamini Sumanasekera also spoke.
Workshop on Global Learning
The IUCN held the Global Learning Workshop on 'Improving Natural Resource Governance for Rural Poverty Reduction Project' from September 20-24 at the Taj Samudra Hotel recently.
The project supported by DFID is implemented by IUCN in 13 countries in Asia, including Sri Lanka, Africa and South America.
New Primary section
The Old Boys’ Association of Hameed Al Husseinie College built a modernized primary section for the school. Picture shows OBA President Imran Bin Ahmed, senior OBA member Afsal Gouse, teachers, old boys and students at the opening ceremony.
HFC felicitates Amritha
Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya felicitated one of her outstanding sportswomen, Amritha Muttiah, at a special school assembly on September 29.
As Amritha, who was the school Games Captain in 2009 and Triple Crown Winner at the Lawn Tennis Nationals 2010, prepared to head for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, a special award was presented to her by Principal Rev. Sr. Chandani Jayasuriya.
Amritha is the only woman tennis player on the team representing Sri Lanka at the Commonwealth Games.
Career guidance
An orientation workshop on 'Career development' for the new intake of students was held by the Career Guidance Committee of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo recently.
(FDI) World Dental Congress
Chennai-based maxillofacial surgeon Dr. S.M. Balaji addressed the annual Federation Dentaire International (FDI) World Dental Congress held in Salvador, Brazil in September on oral cancer detection and the use of bone morphogenetic protein in the treatment of bone defects. He is seen here with FDI Scientific chairman Dr. Claude Fernando, FDI President Dr. Roberto Vienna and Prof. Carlos.
The Last Theorem in Sinhala
Awasan Siddanthaya is the Sinhala translation of The Last Theorem, a science fiction novel co-written by Arthur C. Clarke and Frederik Pohl. A young Sri Lankan mathematician who finds the proof of Fermat's Last Theorem finds global fame and is thrust in the middle of international - and transgalactic - intrigue, while an alien invasion of Earth is in progress.
Alerted by the explosions of the first atomic bombs, the almost-omnipotent Grand Galactics have decided that humans threaten their plans for the universe and must be wiped out as soon as possible.
This book covers some of Clarke's most well known concepts; space elevators, solar sailing, omnipotent aliens, AI, computerized immortality and achievement of world peace. Just a few days before he died, Clarke reviewed the final manuscript of the novel. "The Last Theorem has taken a lot longer than I expected. That could well be my last novel, but then I've said that before," Clarke said in 2008.
This book also covers many simple mathematical puzzles and games from pentominoes to the combinatorial numbers relationship with the binary number base stimulating the reader's interest in mathematics.
Awasan Siddanthaya is translated by Thathsarani Bulathsinghala who has written many books on astronomy and is currently reading for her PhD degree overseas. The book is published by S&T Group with translation copyright under agreement with David Higham Associates, England.
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