Justice S. Thurairajah, Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, SLIS President T.S. Prakash, members of the diplomatic community, leaders of the industry, and other dignitaries were also present.Speaking at the occasion, Minister Ratnayaka underscored the special bond between India and Sri Lanka exemplified by the centuries-old cultural ties, shared interests and a common way of life.
The Minister drew special attention to the greatest gift from India to Sri Lanka – Buddhism which was brought to the country when Arahat Mahinda visited Sri Lanka and met King Devanampiyatissa.Minister Ratnayaka highlighted the various people-oriented development projects implemented using Indian development assistance in Sri Lanka such as the housing project to build 14,000 houses for plantation workers in the hill country and the South, and the 1990 Suwaseriya ambulance service.
In his address, the Indian High Commissioner said The Indian High Commissioner said that in Sri Lanka, the scourge of Jihadi terrorism raised its ugly head during the Easter attacks, which was an attack not just against Sri Lanka, but against the whole of humanity.He noted that the Indian Prime Minister was the first world leader to visit Sri Lanka after the Easter attacks in a solidarity visit to underline that India is with Sri Lanka in these difficult times. “India continues to believe in Sri Lanka’s strength, its resilience, and ability to rise in all its glory,” he said, adding that Indian tourists are back in big numbers in Sri Lanka, driving all the supply chains in the Sri Lankan economy. “Indian companies continue to participate wholeheartedly in conferences and exhibitions in Sri Lanka and are making substantial investments.”
The High Commisioner said that in the seven decades since independence, India has built many eminent centres of education like the Indian Institute of Technology and Indian Institute of Management which are among the world’s best today. India has also sent missions to the moon and the Mars and has crafted the minds heading international global IT and financial corporations today.SLIS which is the oldest and largest friendship society in Sri Lanka, was founded in 1949, soon after the independence of India and Sri Lanka.
