Sunday, 23 January 2011 06:28 |
The debating team of the University of Colombo won the debate on “In Tagore’s philosophy of education aesthetic development is as important as the intellectual” held at the International Relations Department of the University of Delhi on January 21. Thakshala Tissera of the Department of English in Colombo University was adjudged the best debater. This was the second debate in the series was organized by the India Sri Lanka Foundation and the Culture Council of the University of Delhi.
The Team from University of Colombo, Sri Lanka comprises of Deborah M. Phillip, Mohamed Hafiz Zainuddin and Thakshala Tissera and the Delhi University was represented by Subha Rastha, Akash Kashyap and Raghuvir Dass.

Sri Lanka High Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam, who is the co-chair of India Sri Lanka Foundation was the Chief Guest. Two professors of University of Delhi and a scholar of the Rabindranath Tagore Society were on the panel of judges.
High Commissioner Kariyawasam stated that the objective of the India-Sri Lanka Foundation in supporting this debate between universities of India and Sri Lanka was to promote contacts between the youth of the two nations. He said that the philosophy of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore has succeeded in reawakening the age old cultural ethos not only in India, but in Sri Lanka as well. He commended organizers for selecting Tagore’s philosophy of education as the theme of the debate as this year the world commemorates his 150th birth anniversary.
The inaugural debate was organized by the University of Colombo during December 2009 with the students of the University of Delhi. A team of 3 students and a faculty member from University of Delhi participated in the programme.
Under the second phase of the debate, the Board has planned to involve the University of Ruhuna in Sri Lanka and the University of Chennai from India.
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Thursday, 13 January 2011 07:27 |

Sri Lanka’s new Magampura Harbour and the South Colombo Terminal of Colombo Port will serve global shipping and they will be important transhipment ports for the Indian subcontinent, High Commissioner Prasad Kariwasam said. Delivering a speech titled ‘Challenges and Opportunities for Sri Lanka in the Post Conflict Era in the Context of Asia’s Economic Ascendance and Strategic Importance in the 21st Century’ he said that the two ports would cater for large container ships and that would be highly beneficial to global shipping.
The speech was delivered at the United Services Institution in New Delhi and a large number of senior officials of Indian Army, Navy and Air Force and academics and research students of Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses were present. While Gen H S Sindhu of USI welcomed the High Commissioner the meeting was chaired by former Indian Foreign Secretary, Ambassador Lalith Man Singh.
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Thursday, 06 January 2011 06:12 |
The Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and visiting Indian Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar discussed ways and means of enhancing defence ties between the two countries and agreed on several programmes on bilateral cooperation. Mr. Kumar paid a three day official visit to Sri Lanka, which concluded on December 29.
During discussions at the Ministry of Defence in Colombo, the two Defence Secretaries reviewed extensively the state of their defence cooperation and agreed to strengthen their existing links, especially in the field of training and service exchanges. The two sides also reviewed major ongoing projects, including reactivation of Palaly airport as a regional civil aviation hub and of Kankesanthurai harbour for regional and domestic trade and commerce.
They also decided to hold a formal Annual Defence Dialogue beginning in 2011, for which Indian Defence Secretary invited Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to visit India.
It was also agreed to commence staff-level talks between the navies and armies of the two countries and conduct a joint naval exercise between the navies of the two countries in2011.
Mr. Kumar who arrived in the country on December 27 at the invitation of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, accompanied a delegation of senior officers from the Indian ministries of Defence and External Affairs, as well as from the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.
Mr. Kumar paid a courtesy calls on President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees and External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L.Peiris at the Ministry. During his visit, the Indian Secretary also payed homage at the Memorial to the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) troops killed by the LTTE. |
Monday, 20 December 2010 07:45 |

High Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam called on the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and the Vice President of India Hon. Shri Mohamad Hamid Ansari, last week. Ensuing discussion at the meeting, among others included, post-conflict development efforts in Sri Lanka, increasing bilateral interactions and the establishment of the India-Sri Lanka Friendship Group in the Indian Parliament. |
Wednesday, 15 December 2010 12:35 |
An estimated 8 percent economic growth was achieved in 2010, the Central Bank said in its ‘Roadmap: Economic and Financial Sector Policies for 2011 and Beyond’, announced on January 4, 2011.
The Roadmap also said that Sri Lanka was able to maintain historically high foreign reserves amounting to USD 6.6 Billion at the end of 2010. Year 2010 also marked a rapid decline in poverty level in the country, low and stable inflation, stable exchange rates, Middle-income Emerging Market Country status among other achievements.
The Central Bank added that Sri Lanka showed strong growth momentum in 2010 as the peace dividend was clearly observed with impressive performance in all sectors and more business confidence.
Sri Lanka has met end-December IMF targets for net domestic financing, net international reserves, and reserve money required under a $2.6 billion loan, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said.
Asia Development Outlook 2010 of the Asian Development Bank also said Sri Lanka's political stability, improved credit ratings, private sector revival and government infrastructure investment underpin a strengthened economy.
During her visit to Sri Lanka in December, Managing Director of the World Bank Dr. Okonjie-Iweala said “Sri Lanka has what it takes to be the Wonder of Asia through inclusive growth acceleration… implementing policies that promote the inclusion of all segments of society in the growth process, as envisaged in the Mahinda Chintana, will be crucial”.
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