News
7th International Day of Yoga
Indian HC Bagley participates in the programme
The High Commission of India and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Colombo joined hands with the Sri Lankan Armed Forces to celebrate the 7th ‘International Yoga Day’ yesterday (21 June) at a special Yoga session, organized in the virtual mode. The Secretary of Defence of Sri Lanka, General (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne was the Chief Guest at the event, which was also attended by the Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of Army, General Shavendra Silva and around 500 defence services personnel from about 150 defence establishments across Sri Lanka, including the Kotelawala Defence University, Training schools, defence academies, ships, etc.
Commencing the event, the Chief Priest and Director of the Parama Dhamma Chetiya Pirivena in Ratmalana Most Venerable Dr Maitipe Wimalasara Thera, invoked the blessings of the Buddha for overall well being of everyone. The messages of Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi and President of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa, inspiring everyone to follow the tradition of Yoga due to its numerous benefits, were shared with the participants. In his message, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the relevance of this year’s theme of Yoga Day, ‘Yoga for Wellness’ in the current Covid-19 situation. He underscored that with its inherent power to connect, Yoga is good for community, immunity and unity. In his message, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa mentioned that Yoga is a precious, beautiful gift from the treasures of spiritual traditions and practices of Indian sages over millennia, which has touched the lives of generations of people all over the world.
The High Commissioner called on everyone to embrace Yoga as a ‘Way of Life’ to improve flexibility and mindfulness and thanked everyone for joining the High Commission for commemorating this day.
Due to Covid-19 -related travel restrictions imposed this year, all events to mark the International Day of Yoga are being held in virtual mode. In the run up to the IDY, several free online Yoga sessions were organized by SVCC, in May-June 2021. These sessions focused on wellness and therapeutic Yoga, in line with the theme for this year’s IDY. On June 20, 2021, a special Yoga session was organized at the Parama Dhamma Chetiya Pirivena in Ratmalana, at which a special message from the High Commissioner, in Sinhala language, was shared with the participants.
Since 2015, every year, the High Commission of India celebrates the International Day of Yoga in Sri Lanka with great fervour, with the participation of the Sri Lankan leadership and public. Average footfall for the event over the years has been in thousands. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, close to around 7000 participants attended various online events that were organized this year for the 7th International Day of Yoga.
Accepting deposits from political parties and independent groups who intend to contest the forthcoming Local Authorities Election ended at 12noon today [19].
Deposits were accepted at respective District Secretariats from 3rd March 2025.
The Elections Commission has announced that the deadline for the accepting of nominations for the LA poll is set to conclude at 12:00 noon tomorrow (20).
It has been reported that the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon has appeared before the Matara Magistrate’s Court this morning (19),
The former IGP had been evading arrest after the Matara Magistrate’s court had ordered his arrest regarding a shooting incident that took place in front of the W15 Hotel Pelena, Weligama, Matara, in 2023.
The government has begun recovering funds obtained by former Lands and Land Development, Environment and Wildlife Resources Minister SM Chandrasena for the Janatha Lanka Chilli Marketing Limited (JLCML), which he headed, Parliament was informed yesterday.
Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation Minister Namal Karunaratne said that as the Chairman of JLCML, Chandrasena had obtained a loan of Rs. 1,275,000 from the Mihintale Govijana Seva Bank in 2001.
The principal of the loan had not been repaid until the end of last year. “After we came to power, we demanded that the loan be settled. Then, we discovered that the interest on the loan had not been paid for the past 24 years, and attempts had been made to have the loan written off. We stopped that and are now in the process of recovering the interest of Rs. 1,975,233 on the loan,” Karunaratne said.
Karunaratne added that JLCML was registered as a company with the Registrar of Companies on March 21, 2001. As Chairman of the company, Chandrasena requested a loan of Rs. 10 million on April 19, 2001, for the purpose of purchasing chillies from farmers in 12 farmer colonies in the Mihintale Agrarian Service area.
The request was approved by the Mihintale Agrarian Service Committee on the same day and referred to the Anuradhapura District Agrarian Operations Committee, which approved it on April 23, 2001. However, the Agriculture Development Commissioner General recommended that a loan of Rs. 1.2 million would suffice for this purpose. JLCML took the loan and failed to repay it until the end of last year. When the matter was raised, the principal was paid, and we are now in the process of recovering the interest that was not paid for the past 24 years,” Karunaratne added.
By Saman Indrajith
Accepting deposits for Local Authorities Election concludes
At least 12 dead in Honduras plane crash
Putin agrees in Trump call to pause Ukraine energy attacks but no full ceasefire
-
Foreign News4 days agoSearch continues in Dominican Republic for missing student Sudiksha Konanki
-
Features7 days agoRichard de Zoysa at 67
-
Features4 days agoThe Royal-Thomian and its Timeless Charm
-
News5 days agoDPMC unveils brand-new Bajaj three-wheeler
-
Features4 days ago‘Thomia’: Richard Simon’s Masterpiece
-
Features7 days agoSL Navy helping save kidneys
-
Sports2 days agoSri Lanka to compete against USA, Jamaica in relay finals
-
Features6 days agoWomen’s struggles and men’s unions