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India launches special Hindi language course for Sri Lanka Police
On the occasion of the World Hindi Day on January 10, 2022, the High Commission of India launched a ‘Hindi Proficiency Course’ for Sri Lanka Police personnel. The launch event was held at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), the cultural arm of the High Commission and was attended by Secretary, Ministry of Public Security Major General (retd.) Jagath Alwis, as the Chief Guest, and Inspector General of Police C.D. Wickramaratne, as the Guest of Honour. Acting High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Vinod K. Jacob also graced the occasion. The programme was attended by 70 senior Police officers and officials of the Sri Lanka Police.
During the event, the Acting High Commissioner read out special messages of the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and the Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar. Video messages of Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Mrs. Meenakshi Lekhi, and High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay, were also shared with the audience.
In his message, extending his wishes on the World Hindi Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the popularity of the Hindi language and its increasing usage in Information and Communication technology. Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar also extended his good wishes and expressed happiness on the organization of various events by Indian Missions abroad commemorating the World Hindi Day. MoS Mrs. Meenakshi Lekhi underlined that Hindi, as a language of peace and compassion, plays an important role in connecting India with other countries and their people. Through his special video message, High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, greeted Major General (Retd.) Jagath Alwis, Mr. C.D. Wickramaratne and other distinguished officers and staff of Sri Lanka Police. He expressed happiness on Sri Lanka Police personnel’s enthusiasm in learning Hindi language, both for their official work as well as personal interest.
Speaking on the occasion, Acting High Commissioner Shri Vinod K. Jacob recalled that the cultural and linguistic relations of Sri Lanka and India date back to more than two millennia, and in contemporary times, Hindi further strengthens these relations. He underscored that every year a large number of scholarships are offered by the Government of India to students of Sri Lanka to pursue their Hindi studies in reputed institutions and universities of India. SVCC plays a vital role in promotion of Hindi language all over the island. He also highlighted that Hindi is being taught in about 10 universities and 80 government schools in Sri Lanka. He recalled that recently, late Professor Indra Dassanayake was posthumously honoured with a “Padma Shri” award, one of the highest civilian honours of India, by the President of India in recognition of her contribution to the dissemination of Hindi language and literature in Sri Lanka. This reiterates the importance the Government of India attaches to its cultural ties with Sri Lanka and indicates its commitment to strengthen the India-Sri Lanka people-to-people bond.
Secretary, Ministry of Public Security Major General (retd.) Jagath Alwis expressed his happiness at the launch of the Hindi Course for Sri Lanka Police to mark the World Hindi Day. He thanked the Government of India and the High Commission of India for the assistance provided to the Sri Lanka Police from time to time. He also highlighted that the special Hindi course will help in strengthening the cultural relations between the two countries and also in promotion of tourism between the two countries.
The Hindi students of SVCC presented a cultural programme at the event and sang popular Hindi and Sinhala songs. The inaugural programme was followed by the first lecture of the Hindi course for Sri Lanka Police personnel.
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
