Dilmah and the National Institute of Plantation Management introduce a First-of-Its-Kind Module

Family tea company Dilmah has nitiated a collaboration with the National Institute of Plantation Management (NIPM), to develop and produce a teaching module based on the ‘History of Ceylon Tea’.

Adding a new dimension to the current NIPM syllabus on Plantation Management, the memorandum of agreement was jointly attested at Dilmah’s Head Office on March 3, by Dilhan C. Fernando, CEO of Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company and Dr. Prasad Dharmasena, CEO of the National Institute of Plantation Management, in the presence of Mr. Asoka Siriwardana, Chairman of NIPM, Dilmah said in a media release.

The NIPM is the only educational institute in Sri Lanka, providing an exclusive alignment with the wide-ranging technical, agricultural, and administrative requirements of the country’s plantation sector. In addition to offering a wide spectrum of diploma programmes in relation to Tea, Rubber, Coconut and Oil Palm, it is also empowered, in collaboration with the Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management of the Wayamba University, to offer the Bachelor of Science Degree in Plantation Management (external).

Instruction in the new module will be delivered by David Colin-Thomé, Editor of Dilmah’s History of Ceylon Tea website (HOCT). The latter is an industry service initiative launched by Dilmah in 2003, and has since evolved into one of the largest single-industry websites in the world. It is not only an indelible archive of one of the great industries of the world, but also a valuable educational resource for those already in the planting industry, as well as for those who wish to forge careers in plantation management.

The latest initiative was the result of discussions between Dilmah and Dr. Prasad Dharmasena, Director/Chief Executive Officer of the NIPM. Mr. Dilhan Fernando, on behalf of Dilmah, expressed his appreciation for the co-operation, adding the importance of students of tea understanding the industry’s history in participating in its future. Dilmah’s History of Ceylon Tea initiative is another aspect of the commitment of Merril J Fernando, the founder of Dilmah, to Ceylon Tea and its long-term sustainability.

Dilmah’s History of Ceylon Tea initiative was launched with the express purpose of preserving and sharing the rich story of Ceylon Tea with the world. The process of digital archival has continued for nearly two decades, ensuring the preservation of critical industry knowledge. This initiative will ensure that this wealth of knowledge will be shared with aspiring planters, so that from the very beginning of their careers they will appreciate its uniqueness and be invested with a sense of pride in the industry that they are about to enter. It is a free resource accessible at https://www.historyofceylontea.com/.

Above: Dilhan C. Fernando, CEO of Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company and Dr. Prasad Dharmasena, CEO of the National Institute of Plantation Management exchanging agreement, also in the picture are L to R Ms. Ruvini Lokuhetti, Training Specialist; Ms. S. N. Illanganthilake, Head - Academic Affairs; Asoka Siriwardana, Chairman of NIPM; Lahiru Kulasekera, Training Officer; L. D. J. Priyantha, Accountant; P. H. Jayathilake, Training Specialist; Chanaka Weerakoon, Training Officer; Dr. Dan Seevaratnam, COO, Kahawatte Plantations PLC; David Colin-Thomé, Editor, History of Ceylon Tea; and Anura Gunasekera, Former CEO of Kahawatte Plantations PLC