News
British Ayurveda Medical Council established in the UK
By Sujeeva Nivunhella in London
The untiring efforts of three Sri Lankan medical professionals saw the establishment of the British Ayurveda Medical Council in the United Kingdom recently.
Thanks to the initiative of Shantha Godagama, Mauroof Athique and Palitha Serasinghe, the project has now become a reality.
The Council has a ten-member expert advisory board chaired by Dr. Godagama, two professors, research scientists and three highly qualified Western medical specialists with a keen interest in Ayurveda.
Dr. Godagama said the British government set up three committees over the past 30 years, including a Parliamentary Select Committee on regulation of Ayurveda and the Prince of Wales Foundation of Integrated Health headed by Prince Charles himself, to draft a report to ascertain whether Ayurveda medicine can be included in the National Health Service.
The final government report submitted by Professor David Walker, Deputy Chief Medical Officer in the UK, highlighted the importance of a self-regulatory body to win public confidence and to provide safe and high quality service in the UK”, he said.
‘We are now one step closer to seeing Ayurveda in the National Health Service in the near future. There has been tremendous interest for Ayurveda treatment from the British public and more Western doctors are joining the College of Ayurveda as they are of the view that it is the way forward for the safe practice of medicine in treating diseases”, he further said.
He said that both the Sri Lankan and Indian High Commissions extended their support. He expressed his gratitude to Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in London, Saroja Sirisena and the Trade Commissioner, Dr. Lakmini Mendis for their assistance.
Dr. Godagama is the founder president of the Ayurvedic Medical Association in the UK. He was the first-ever adviser on Ayurveda for the British government and worked for 15 years with the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority and was involved in licensing herbal medicinal products under new licensing law.
He has also worked closely with Prince Charles, who believes that Ayurveda can be a therapeutic modality available under the National Health Service soon.
Dr. Godagama has been awarded ‘Glory of India’ and ‘Bharat Gaurav Award’ as well as ‘Ayurveda Rattan’ from the House of Lords.
Dr. Athique, a graduate from the Colombo Ayurveda College, obtained postgraduate qualifications from Harvard University in the USA. Earlier, he worked as the Director of Nursing at University of Northampton.
Dr. Serasinghe has a postgraduate qualification from King’s College London and worked as a senior lecturer at Faculty of Ayurveda in Colombo.
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
