Beyond dreams: LRH’s vision for special children takes flight
Hot on the heels of the promise, several meetings have followed and there is subdued excitement that what the passionate team at the premier Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH), Colombo, has dreamed and envisioned for special children, is slowly and surely becoming a reality. The meetings have followed the budgetary allocation of Rs. 200 million for [...]
Cruising down our canals through the mists of history
Although it is customary in this country to describe all our inland canals and coastal waterways in the western and southern districts as Dutch canals, this is a misnomer. A network of canals did exist for centuries in a more rudimentary form before the colonial rulers took control of these coastal territories. The claim that [...]
Letters to the Editor
Casino ads on BIA road: Is this the first impression we want to give visitors to this country? Sri Lanka’s tourism resurgence is a beacon of hope for our economy. However, I was disheartened to see casino advertisements dominating the Bandaranaike International Airport road – a gateway that should reflect our nation’s soul. As a [...]
APPRECIATIONS
Hulftsdorp will miss him Ranjith Chula Bandara Ranjith Chula Bandara, senior Attorney-at-Law, ‘Chula’ to his friends, passed away three months back on December 22. I had known him for more than 55 years. Chula was born on May 4, 1949 into a well-known family in Panduwasnuwara. His father, R.M.K.B. Ratnayake, was a proprietary planter who [...]
Capturing rural life: Kuruwita’s art at 90
From truant to teacher, from educationist to artist, Kuruwita Abayawardana has managed to bring to life the most mundane scenes of village life through skilled, child-like brush strokes. Born in 1935, Abayawardana was just ten years old when the Japanese launched an aerial attack over the British-occupied Sri Lanka, but he recalls it perfectly. In [...]
Rúpa: The collective journey at Sky Gallery
A group exhibition by ten talented Sri Lankan artists, ‘Rupa’ will showcase a diverse collection of original works at the Sky Gallery of the Fareed Uduman Art Forum. The exhibition offers viewers a glimpse into the creative minds of these emerging and established artists whose paintings and sculptures will be on view. Opening on 26th [...]
‘Come to our theatre gama’
The Kolamba Kamatha Festival (KKF) 2025 – the first theatre festival of its kind in Sri Lanka – will take place at the BMICH premises starting Thursday, March 27 (World Theatre Day) through Sunday, March 30. The festival will showcase 22 plays in all three languages (some even in multiple languages) and provide a platform [...]
Judges for 32nd Gratiaen Prize
The Gratiaen Trust, in association with the John Keells Foundation, has announced its panel of judges for Sri Lanka’s most prestigious literary award for creative writing in English, the 32nd Gratiaen Prize, as well as the panel of judges for the HAIG Prize for Translations. The Gratiaen panel is chaired by Gregory Pardlo, an internationally [...]
Ladies’ College looks back on 125 years through dance drama
‘Penmaiyai Pottruvom’ – the first of five productions presented by Ladies’ College in 2025 in celebration of the school’s 125th anniversary will take the stage on March 29. ‘Penmaiyai Pottruvom’ (In praise of womanhood) highlights the inspiring power of women and the school’s principals past and present. The play focuses on women and their “compassion, [...]
Reasons to Be Pretty; real conversations take centrestage
In a quaint studio on Fife Road, Colombo, hidden amongst tall buildings, four people are engaged in different conversations. Watching them, one wouldn’t think they were acting – these are direct, raw and open conversations in an enclosed space. We are at a rehearsal for StageLight&Magic’s new play, Reasons to Be Pretty written by Neil [...]
Bringing out the human-ness of people caught up in the war
Dr. Noel Nadesan’ latest book Odyssey of War is being launched in Melbourne this week. For those who do not know Noel he is what is best described as a polymath – someone whose knowledge spans many different fields. He was born and grew up in northern Sri Lanka, he was educated at Jaffna Hindu [...]