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Indian Naval Ship ‘Sukanya’ arrives in Colombo
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) ‘Sukanya’ arrived at the Port of Colombo, on an official visit, yesterday morning (27). The visiting ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy, in compliance with naval traditions.
INS ‘Sukanya’ in a 101m long Offshore Patrol Vessel, manned by 106 crew members.
The Commanding Officer of the ship, Commander Pranav Anand called on the Commander Western Naval Area, Rear Admiral Suresh De Silva, at the Western Naval Command Headquarters, this morning.
Further, a group of children of the Diyakithulkanda Primary School, in Galle, will visit the ship and arrangements are in place to hand over school supplies, donated by the Indian Navy, to those children as well.
During the stay in the country, the crew of the ship will take part in several programmes, organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, to promote cooperation between the two navies, and visit some of the tourist attractions.
Concluding her official visit, ‘INS Sukanya’ will depart the island on March 1 and she is expected to engage in a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with a ship of the Sri Lanka Navy off Colombo.
The Sukanya Class offshore patrol vessels are in service with the Indian Navy. The first three ships were built by Korea Tacoma, while four were constructed at the Hindustan Shipyard in India.
The lead ship in class, INS Sukanya (P50), was commissioned in August 1989. INS Subhadra (P51) was launched in 1989 and commissioned in January 1990.
INS Suvarna (P52) was launched in August 1990 and commissioned in April 1991. All three ships were commissioned at Masan, South Korea, and sailed to India for the armament fit out.
The keel of INS Savitri (P53) was laid in June 1988. The ship was launched in May 1989 and commissioned in November 1990. INS Sarayu (P54) was laid in June 1988, launched in October 1989 and commissioned into the Indian Navy in October 1991.
The ship was sold to the Sri Lankan Navy and commissioned as SLNS Sayura in 2000. Sayura was refitted with new weapon systems prior to its delivery. The ship now serves as the flagship of the Sri Lanka Navy.
Sukanya Class offshore patrol vessels are principally used to conduct offshore patrol duties in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of India. INS Sharada took part in Operation Sagittarius, covering 20,000nm in 2002.
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
