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Mahindra & Mahindra launches Lanka’s first ever locally assembled single cab – New Bolero City Pik-Up
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M Ltd.) and Ideal Motors, a fully owned subsidiary of the Ideal Group, today announced the start of deliveries of the new Bolero City Pik-Up in Sri Lanka. With this, Bolero City Pik-Up becomes Mahindras first single cab pick up to be assembled in the country. The vehicle has been in production at Mahindra Ideal Lankas Automotive assembly plant at Welipenna. The first batch of vehicles were delivered to the customers at an event held in Colombo on Thursday.
Sri Lanka is one of M&Ms most important overseas markets. M&M has been present in the country for more than 25 years with a robust automotive & farm portfolio. The brand has been holding a leadership position for over 10 years in the pick-up category.
The addition of Bolero City Pik-Up will further strengthen its position in the category. With the gradual opening of the market amidst the pandemic, the commercial vehicle category is witnessing an increase in demand. Mahindra is boosting its production capacity at the Sri Lankan plant to meet the market demand for single cab pickups
Veejay Nakra, CEO, Automotive Division, M&M Ltd. said, “Sri Lanka has been a strategic market for Mahindra. We have been scaling up our local presence by expanding the product range through the Make in Sri Lanka initiative. With the addition of the Bolero City Pik-Up to our portfolio, we will further reinforce our leadership in this category. I am delighted to announce the introduction of the first locally assembled pick up in Sri Lanka.
Addressing the gathering, Nalin Welgama, Founder & Chairman, Ideal Motors said, Ideal Motors and Mahindra have been working together for a decade to deliver value to our customers. Our small commercial vehicle range has played a pivotal role in the economic development of the country over the last many years. This new Bolero City Pik-up will open many opportunities for small and medium entrepreneurs in the country. We believe in giving the best customer experience through our island wide network.”
With easy maneuverability, big cargo box and reliable high-power engine, the new Bolero City Pik-Up has been designed for urban and rural applications. This pick-up will offer class leading cargo capacity and payload in the category, thus enhancing the earning potential for its owners. This will be supported by a class-leading extended warranty of 36 months/ 100,000 km. Customers are assured to earn more profit and have complete peace of mind.
The New Bolero City Pik-Up is powered by Mahindras proven 2,523cm3, m2Di, four-cylinder, diesel engine providing power of 46.3 kW (63 HP) & torque of 195 Nm for better performance. The Bolero City Pik-Up has a payload capacity of 1400 kg and 2640 cm x 1700 cm (8.7 ft x 5.6 ft) cargo box to carry heavy loads effortlessly. Its sporty eye-catching wrap around headlamps, a stylized front chrome grille, a trendy dual tone instrument panel and comfortable fabric seats with matching door trims, gives it a more stylish and elegant look.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
