News
India-Nepal ties are back on track
Foreign Secretary to visit Kathmandu on Nov 26
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN
Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, November 10:
Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla will visit Nepal this month-end for the delayed formal dialogue between the two countries, according to informed sources.
Analysts see this as a sign that New Delhi is willing to go an extra mile to improve bilateral ties that had nosedived earlier this year.
The decision to send the foreign secretary comes days after Indian Army Chief General M.M Naravane’s visit to Kathmandu, during which he was conferred the honorary rank of general of Nepali Army.
When Gen Naravane met Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, the latter had underscored that the two countries could resolve all problems between them through dialogue since India and Nepal have a long-standing special relationship.
Oli had faced resistance within his cabinet to Gen Naravane’s visit but had dealt with it, by taking over the defence portfolio from deputy prime minister Ishwar Pokhrel.
Gen Naravane’s visit was crucial, because he was the first one within the Indian government to react to protests by Nepal’s government over a border road India built in Uttarakhand. In May, he had said it was very possible that Nepal had raised the issue at someone else’s behest. The remark was interpreted to imply that Beijing could have prodded Nepal to create a new boundary dispute with India.
People familiar with the discussions said Prime Minister Oli did make a pointed reference to the fallout of the row over Nepal’s political map, describing it as a “misunderstanding”. At the same time, he did underline that Nepal takes its sovereignty very seriously, a remark that is being seen in New Delhi to explain his decision to issue a fresh political map.
During his two-day visit on November 26 and 27, Shringla hold meetings with his counterpart Bharat Raj Paudyal (who took charge just last month) and Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali. He will call on President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Oli.
Shringla’s conversations in Nepal are also expected to lead both sides to finalise the schedule for the meeting of the Joint Technical Level Boundary Committee.
“This is not a single-agenda visit,” a senior diplomat said. The visit could see India committing to help Nepal with coronavirus vaccines once its production starts. The two sides will also discuss the revival of the Pancheshwar multi-purpose project on river Mahakali as well as other hydro-electric projects.
India had been holding off on Harsh Shringla’s visit for most of this year to convey New Delhi’s displeasure over the communist government’s move to issue a new political map that included the Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani areas from India’s Uttarakhand state. New Delhi had rejected the map, brushing away what it had said was Nepal’s effort at a cartographic expansion.
Nepal had been working at mollifying New Delhi for some time, and withdrew school textbooks that contained the new political map. Last month, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) Chief Samant Kumar Goel had done the groundwork for restoring ties during his visit to the Himalayan nation.
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
