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New book on Mrs Sirima Bandaranaike brings out rare photos of late leader’s decades of public life
A new coffee table book released this week contains rare archival photographs from the long and illustrious public life of Mrs Sirima Bandaranaike who made history in July 1960 by being elected the world’s first woman Prime Minister.
SIRIMAVO: Steering the Destiny of a Nation presents a pictorial biography of the late stateswoman who blazed new trails in national and international spheres. The book has nearly 300 photographs, sourced from various collections, including the Bandaranaike Museums, the National Archives and the United Nations Archives. Many photos have never been in the public domain before.
A concise text places the photographs in their historical context by summarising information on her political reforms and the many challenges she faced – including the abortive military coup in January 1962, and the armed youth uprising in April 1971. It also captures highlights of her international relations as a co-founder of the Non-Aligned Movement, a champion of resurgence for developing countries, and a promoter of peace in Asia and the Indian Ocean.
The book’s foreword is written by the retired civil servant Desamanya M D D Pieris, who was Secretary to the Prime Minister during Mrs Bandaranaike’s second term. The book also contains 22 significant quotes by Mrs Bandaranaike, and 21 quotes by others assessing her impact and legacy – including senior officials and diplomats who worked with her, independent scholars, and foreign journalists.
Having entered electoral politics shortly after the assassination of her husband, Mrs Bandaranaike thrice served as the Prime Minister of Ceylon/Sri Lanka (1960-1965; 1970-1977; and 1994-2000); and was concurrently the Minister of Defence and Minister of Foreign Affairs during her first and second terms. She was the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament on two occasions (1965-1970 and 1989-1994).
The photographs were researched and curated by the leading photographer Sarath Perera who worked on this project for nearly a decade. The text and photo annotations are by writer Nalaka Gunawardene. The book was conceptualised and designed by W M K Wijayabandara, with Dr Ranjith Cabral (a former director of the Bandaranaike Centre for International Relations) coordinating the effort, and guidance coming from Ms Sunethra Bandaranaike.
The book (444 pages printed on art paper with a hard cover) is published by the Bandaranaike Museum Committee. The limited edition is priced at Rs 3,000 and distributed by Sarasavi Bookshop.
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
