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Tambapanni Academic Publishers (TAP) launched
Tambapanni Academic Publishers (TAP), a Colombo-based independent publisher of academic books in social sciences and humanities was formally launched in an online event on Aug 21.
TAP is initiated by four friends, Karnika Jayatilake, Sasanka Perera, Coralie Pietersz, Nira Wickramasinghe and is guided by a board of advisors composed of eminent professionals and academics.
An international board of editors ensures the high standard of the publications. Jayatilake and Coralie Pietersz are from the corporate sector, while Professors Wickramasinghe and Perera are academics initially from the University of Colombo but now based in Leiden and New Delhi respectively.
Prof Nira Wickramasinghe addressing those present said that the goal of TAP was to bring the best practices associated with globally renowned university presses to academic publishing in Sri Lanka. She noted that one of the main activities of TAP is to publish locally, key academic texts focused on Sri Lanka published elsewhere in the world to make these books accessible to local scholars, students and universities and to make them more affordable.
Beyond this, she said that Tambapanni will also publish original texts in addition to initiating a niche publication programme via translations first in Sinhala and later in Tamil as well. Professor Perera in his address outlined the state of Sri Lankan social sciences and humanities and academic publishing in the country, and noted that it is not an exaggeration to say these fields are in a “state of decay and crisis” in institutional terms though there are always individuals who try to do their best within the existing system.
He said that the initiators of TAP hoped their efforts “will bring knowledge into the country and will also take our knowledge out, and more importantly, make knowledge affordable.”
The event also launched the first two books of Tambapanni, Prof Wickramasinghe’s Slave in a Palanquin: Colonial Servitude and Resistance in Sri Lanka (TAP, Colombo, 2021) initially published by Columbia University Press in 2020, and can be ordered online via SL Books and Perera Hussein Publications. The other book is the e-edition of ‘Imagining Modernity: The Architecture of Valentine Gunasekara’ by Anoma Pieris (e-book, TAP, Colombo, 2021) first published by Stamford Lake in 2007, and is available via Amazon and Barnes and Noble Online. Forthcoming publications by Tambapanni for this year include Professor Nihal Perera’s Sihala translation of Society and Space: Colonialism, Nationalism, and Postcolonial Identity in Sri Lanka’ initially published by West View Press in 2011 and Professor Ronit Ricci’s Banishment and Belonging: Exile and Diaspora in Sarandib, Lanka and Ceylon first published in 2019 by Cambridge University Press.
Speaking on behalf of its initiators, Prof Wickramasinghe said interested academics with book ideas or manuscripts can get in touch with TAP and explore possibilities of future collaboration. More information on Tambapanni is available on its website: https://www.tambapannipublishers.lk/
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
