Decolonisation of a name: What does ‘Bharat’ mean and will ‘India’ disappear from the world’s maps?
Over the millenia, India has had a variety of names in several languages, including Persian, Greek, Turkic, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Yes, and also English By Shraddha Chowdhury “Mera Bharat Mahan [my great India],” shared legendary matinee idol Amitabh Bachchan on X. “Team India nahi, Team Bharat [not Team India, it’s Team Bharat],” posted former [...]
Lanka’s legislative reforms under the British and after
By Nihal Seneviratne It is widely accepted by all that the early beginnings of legislative reforms in Ceylon started with the arrival of the Colebrook and Cameron Commission in 1833. The commission named after its two prominent members Johnston Colebrook and Charles Hay Cameron played a pivotal role in shaping the future of the island. [...]
Reinventing the wheel 50 years later
Indians on the Moon were news for two weeks, and last week they were heading towards the Sun. Space exploration is indeed a quest for knowledge and an evolutionary factor for Homo sapiens. But nationalism and geopolitics have inevitably been forces motivating space exploration, even though the lofty claim is often made that the sole [...]
K.H.J. Wijayadasa – a gentleman par excellence – Appreciation
Several heartwarming appreciations and tributes are being contributed to print media by those who loved, associated and worked with the late Deshamanya Kandekumara Hapudoragamage Jothiratne Wijayadasa who died on August 17 at the age of 87. A noble, down-to-earth, honourable, former civil servant of a rare breed, he was open to people of all levels [...]
Celebration of 58th Defence Day of Pakistan
High Commission of Pakistan, Colombo (Sri Lanka) organised a reception to celebrate the 58th Defence Day of Pakistan at a hotel in Colombo on September 7. Sri Lanka’s Secretary of Defence, General (Retd) GDH Kamal Gunaratne, graced the occasion as chief guest. Defence Advisor of Pakistan, Colonel Muhammad Farooq Bugti, while welcoming the guests, highlighted [...]
Peradeniya Alumini Stages “Garu Katanayakathumani”
The Alumini Association of the University of Peradeniya, Colombo Chapter, will be staging the popular Drama, “Garu Katanayakathumani” at 3.30 pm on Saturday, September 16 at the New Town Hall, Colombo 7. This drama directed by Udayasiri Wickramarathne features Nayanathara de Silva, Ishara Wickramasinghe, Thilan Warnajith, Kusal Maduranga, Mihiri Priyangani Yapa, Sanjeewa Dissanayake, Shashika Diyamantha, [...]
India: A fake growth story or the fastest growing economy
By Ashoka Mody, exclusive to the Sunday Times PRINCETON – Behind the billboards in Delhi advertising this month’s G20 summit are slums whose residents can no longer earn a living. Their roadside stalls and shops have been demolished, lest they tarnish Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s carefully curated image of a rising India. India’s GDP statistics [...]