Indian HC visits Southern Province

High Commissioner of India, Santosh Jha, became the first Indian High Commissioner, in recent times, to undertake a standalone visit to the Southern Province, as he held diverse engagements in the districts of Galle, Matara and Hambantota on 6-7 March 2024.

The High Commissioner met the Governor of the Province, Willie Gamage, on 6 March and highlighted several projects undertaken by the Government of India (GOI) in the region. The High Commissioner also expressed willingness to carry out more projects for the benefit of the people in the Province through grant assistance as, well as investments. The Governor thanked the High Commissioner for the GOI’s diverse initiatives.

The High Commissioner paid floral tributes at the bust of Rabindranath Tagore, installed in the auditorium, named after Gurudev Tagore, in the University of Ruhuna. With a seating capacity of 1500 people, this is the largest auditorium in any Sri Lankan University. It may be recalled that this facility, built through the GOI grant assistance, was inaugurated in 2018. During an interactive session with the Vice Chancellor and faculty heads of the University, the High Commissioner expressed interest in closer educational collaborations and conveyed willingness to further support the University in multiple ways.

The GOI is currently implementing two dedicated housing projects, covering around 50 villages in the Galle, Matara and Hambantota Districts. The GOI has committed to build 1200 housing units for the homeless, landless and low-income people under these two projects. The High Commissioner visited two villages in the Hambantota District to take stock of progress of these two project sites.

The High Commissioner’s visit to the Southern Province underscored the enduring cultural linkages between India and Sri Lanka. The High Commissioner sought the blessings of Lord Buddha at the sacred Dondra, Kataragama and Tissamaharama Temples and prayed for further strengthening of ties between the people of India and Sri Lanka.