News
Yohani shifts base to Mumbai, learning Hindi, but misses her family
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN
Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, November 5:Sri Lankan singer-songwriter-rapper Yohani has shifted her base to Mumbai. She is focussing on Bollywood, and is learning to speak Hindi, the language in which films are made in Mumbai. Hindi is spoken by half a billion Indians but understood by 1.4 billion Indians who love films made in Bollywood.
In interviews to Indian newspapers, TV channels and popular TV shows, Yohani said she did dream of singing for Hindi films, but didn’t think she would one day shift base to Mumbai. “I honestly didn’t think I would be able to sing for Bollywood. It all still feels like a dream. I’ve grown up listening to Hindi music and watching Bollywood films. I’m a big fan of so many artistes from India, and now I’ve got to work with a few of them. It still feels surreal,” she says.
It is not easy singing in Hindi. “Singing in a different language is quite a challenge. Learning to match the accent changes my vocal texture, so I need to get that right. But I am taking classes and working towards that,” says Yohani.She admits she misses her family: “I’d love to have my family here with me. But sadly, I don’t think they are going to move. My sister is a doctor and her work is mostly in Sri Lanka. Of course, they will come here from time to time to visit.”
She has been spending a lot of time in Mumbai because of work. “I like the three-wheeler rides (autorickshaw) in Mumbai, and I love how my team makes me feel at home here. The traffic is the only thing I dislike!
She is yet to understand Hindi fully. “Even though I don’t fully understand Hindi, I feel the music and it is amazing,” she says.And she has a long list of people she is a fan of in the Indian music industry. “I’m a huge fan of AR Rahman, Pritam, Arijit Singh, Sonu Nigam, Jubin Nautiyal, Guru Randhawa, Badshah, Divine, Neha Kakkar, Shreya Ghoshal, Sunidhi Chauhan… the list goes on. Each artiste here is unique in his/her own way, and they make great music. I feel their music and it is amazing. I aspire to have a body of work like them one day.”
Recently, she performed in Maldives for the first time to participate in the ChanaaChaa concert, and performed hit songs ‘Manike Mage Hithe’, ‘Chammak Challlo’, ‘Kabira’, ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha’, and others.Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih also attended the concert wherein Yohani delivered a spectacular performance. He also expressed his gratitude to Yohani.
“Getting love from fans is always an enormous feeling but to get it at new place which you have never visited is a surreal experience. But to my surprise I was welcomed with immense love and support. I am so thankful to the beautiful people of Maldives who treated me so well”, she said.
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
