Features

A.M.A. AZEEZ, EMINENT SCHOLAR AND VISIONARY

Published

3 months ago

2025/11/23

Aboobucker Mohamed Abdul Azeez, an eminent educationist, erudite learned scholar in English and Tamil, brilliant orator, efficient administrator, writer, visionary and dedicated community worker, was born on October 4, 1911 to a traditional elite family of Vannarpannai in Jaffna. His father S.M. Aboobucker J.P. was a leading lawyer, Quazi, Vice-Chairman of the Jaffna Urban Council and the first outstation President of the All-Ceylon Muslim League. His mother died when he was just seven years old, and his father re-married. He was then petted and pampered by his maternal grandparents and aunt. They encouraged him in his studies and Azeez studied late into the night, with the aid of a flickering oil lamp.

Azeez joined the Allapichchai Quran Madrasa in 1916 where he learnt to read the Quran. After passing the Standard III examination in Tamil medium in 1920 at the Mohammadiya Mixed School, he joined the Hindu school R.K.M. Vaidyeshwara Vidyalayam in 1921, Jaffna Hindu College in 1923 and studied there until 1928. It was at these schools that he gathered a good grounding in the Tamil language and nuances of Hinduism. His training under distinguished teachers had stood in good stead in his later years.

This was particularly true in respect of his invaluable contribution to the community in many spheres, his forte being education of the Muslims. The environment in these schools and the influence of his teachers instilled in Azeez the phenomenal value of education. Azeez’s contemporary at Jaffna Hindu College and the University College, later Professor of Civil Engineering, had stated that Azeez excelled in the study of Hinduism at school, but was denied the prize because he was not a Hindu.

As a boy Azeez was a near prodigy, having been always one jump ahead of the age limits during his academic career, so much so that when it came to entering the University College in 1928 he had to wait for a year as he was underage. So he spent this year at St. Joseph’s College, Colombo.

On his days spent at Vaidyeshwara Vidyalayam Azeez had stated, “I now feel thrice-blessed that I did go to Vidyalayam and nowhere else. My period of stay, February 1921 to June 1923, though pretty short quantitatively was extremely long qualitatively. It was at Vidyalayam that I became first acquainted with the devotional hymns of exquisite beauty and exceeding piety for which Tamil is so famed through the ages and throughout the world”.

Azeez was a scholar in Tamil and for a Muslim he had a deep knowledge of Tamil literature and he would quote the Kural, the masterpiece of the poet-philosopher Thiruvalluvar, with the best of the pundits. Azeez’s speeches were fluent and in pure Tamil and were a treat to listen to. In later years his routine every morning was to listen to Hindu devotional songs (thevarams) over the radio. He relished the beauty of Tamil in these songs, and reading Tamil in ola leaves as well with a close friend and high ranking public officer. His admiration for Tamil activated the Tamil Sangam to greater heights at Zahira College, Colombo when he was Principal.

With his abiding interest and love for Tamil, Azeez put his elder son, Ali, in the Tamil medium from the kindergarten at Ladies’ College in 1946 until he switched to Science subjects for the S.S.C. examination in 1957 at Royal College, which at that time were taught only in English. The other Muslim boys opted for the English medium from inception. On an amusing note, it was revealed by Marhoom Justice M. Jameel at a public meeting to remember Azeez, that when he was AGA. Kandy Azeez had requested his friends to avoid speaking to Ali in Tamil lest he spoiled his speech in Tamil. Ali recollects that he spoke Tamil in three different accents at home, Jaffna Tamil with his father, Eastern style with driver Ibrahim from Kattankudy and ‘sonaha’ Tamil with his mother.

Having been a distinguished student and a respected old boy of the two Jaffna schools, Azeez was honoured, by being invited to declare open the Diamond Jubilee Carnival at Jaffna Hindu College in 1951 and to deliver the Golden Jubilee Address at Vaidyeshwara Vidyalayam in 1963.

Azeez was an Exhibitioner in History at the University College and graduated with a Second Class (Upper Division) in History from the University of London in 1933. He joined the Colombo Zahira College hostel as a resident tutor and registered as a student at the Law College, but left shortly afterwards when he was awarded the Government Arts Scholarship in 1933. He proceeded to St. Catherine’s College, Cambridge University in 1934 to prepare for the History Tripos Part 2. Before leaving, he appeared for the Ceylon Civil Service Examination (CCS.).

His sojourn at Cambridge was short-lived and he returned after one term on passing the CCS. examination, abandoning his post-graduate studies. Nine members were selected to the prestigious CCS namely, K. Kanagasundram, A.M.A. Azeez, H. Jinadasa, V.S.M. De Mel, S.B.L. Perera, M. Rajendra, D.G.L. Misso, C.P. de Silva and L. Jayasundara in order of merit. Azeez was the second in order of merit and was the first Muslim Civil Servant, and he preferred to follow an administrative career in the public service.

He joined as a young cadet at Matale as Office Assistant in 1935. Thereafter, he held the posts of Administrative Secretary, Department of Medical and Sanitary Services; Secretary to the Minister of Health (Hon. Dr. W.A. de Silva); Additional Landing Surveyor, H.M. Customs; Assistant Government Agent (Emergency), Kalmunai; Deputy Food Controller; Assistant Government Agent, Kandy; Information Officer; Additional Controller of Establishments, Treasury; Assistant Commissioner of Parliamentary Elections and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Local Government (under Minister Hon. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike).

Azeez was very interested in the education of girls, even at a time when Muslim girls did not have any form of schooling. He encouraged his cousin, Sithy Kathija, in her education and to sit the University of London Matriculaton Examination. She passed in 1940 and was placed in the Second Division. It was a happy day for him when she became the first Muslim girl to pass this exam.

Azeez’s great achievement, if not the greatest, was his contribution to food production while serving as AGA. in Kalmunai. During the Second World War a shortage of food was looming and the Government had to find ways and means of accelerating food production. One of the areas selected was the Southern region of the Batticaloa District from Paddiruppu to Kumana, the present Ampara District. For this purpose Azeez was specially selected by the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. D.S. Senanayake, and was transferred at short notice to set up the Emergency Kachcheri in Kalmunai.

During the short span of two years, from April 1942 to January 1944, Azeez travelled the length and breadth of the areas under his purview and worked long hours to put the district in the forefront as a leading producer of food and the granary of the East. At the successful Harvest Festival in Kalmunai in 1943, Hon. Senanayake in his address, while commending Azeez and others of their achievements, said that “I felt that a Muslim in the Civil Service would be able to get the co-operation of the Tamils and Muslims”.

Later as Prime Minister and Chief Guest at the Prize Day at Zahira College in 1949 he reiterated that, “During the war when there was a shortage of food, the present Principal, Mr. Azeez, was one of those who helped me considerably in the food drive. From that time I had developed a great affection for Mr. Azeez. He was then a member of the Ceylon Civil Service but he worked really as a citizen of the country”. The grateful farmers named a mass of paddy lands of about 500 acres in Sagamam, situated five miles away from Akkaraipattu, as “Azeez Thurai Kandam” which perpetuates his memory to this day.

It was in Kalmunai that Azeez cultivated a close relationship with the renowned Tamil scholar and educationist Swami Vipulananda and the poet Abdul Cader Lebbe. Azeez had confessed that the formation of the Ceylon Muslim Scholarship Fund and his accepting the post of Principal at Zahira College, Colombo were due to the encouragement given by Swami. In August 1948 Azeez retired from the Civil Service to succeed T.B. Jayah as Principal of Zahira College, Colombo sacrificing a brilliant career in order to serve his community.

Zahira continued to excel in every field during his tenure until December 1961, which was referred to as the “Golden Era of Zahira”, and Zahira emerged as one of the finest public schools in the country. Over 150 Zahirians entered the University of Ceylon during this period. In 1962 Azeez was a visiting lecturer in History at the Vidyodaya University.

Azeez’s vision was to establish the Ceylon Muslim Cultural Centre and a Muslim Cultural University at Zahira College premises as proposed in the Throne Speech in 1961. Due to political changes these did not materialize, and he was disappointed. However, he had an opportunity to implement his ideas when his assistance was sought in the establishment of Jamia Naleemiah in Beruwela in 1973. With great enthusiasm he embarked on this venture until his demise.

When he was the Assistant Government Agent in Kalmunai and later in Kandy, he observed the poverty and illiteracy among the Muslims. In order to assist needy Muslim students to pursue higher education, he founded the Ceylon Muslim Scholarship Fund in 1945. Over 2,000 students have benefited to date some holding and held high positions in Sri Lanka and overseas. (I was a scholar of the CMSF).

He also founded the leading youth organization, the All-Ceylon Young Men’s Muslim Association Conference in 1950, which is rendering yeoman service today with over 100 branches.

Azeez held many positions of importance in cultural and educational organizations. He was a member of the University Court, Council and Senate for over 10 years from 1953. He was President of the All-Ceylon Union of Teachers and the Secretary of the Headmasters’ Conference. He was awarded the title of Member of the British Empire (M.B.E.) on Jan.1,1949 in recognition of his achievements in the Ceylon Civil Service. He was honoured as a National Hero and a stamp in his honour was issued on 22.5.1986. He was appointed as a Member of the Public Service Commission on 1.4. 1963.

Through Azeez’s writings and fluent speeches in both English and Tamil, on Education, Language, Community and on Muslim themes, by way of articles appearing in local and foreign publications, speeches and radio talks, he played a role in the intellectual enrichment of this country. With his basic training in history, he was interested in the history of the Muslims of Sri Lanka. His contributions “Muslims of Ceylon” in the Encyclopaedia of Islam (1961) and “Muslim Tradition in Education” in the Centenary Volume of Education (1969) contain in-depth information on Muslims of Sri Lanka.

Azeez’s only book in English “West Reappraised” (1964) on ten well known personalities in nation building are of interest to researchers.

It was after his busy life at Zahira College that he emerged as a Tamil writer of significance. He had the luxury of more leisure and with reawakened interest in his cultural roots, he began to write in Tamil, the language within which he grew up in Jaffna. His first book in Tamil “Islam in Ceylon” (1963) received the Sahitiya Award in 1963. The other books were “Art of Translation” (1965) and “Arabic-Tamil” (1973). His interest in Arabic-Tamil was influenced by his paternal uncle Asana Lebbe Alim Pulavar, who was a scholar in Arabic and Tamil, a renowned poet and an expert in Arabic-Tamil.

Azeez made a name for himself as a travel writer in Tamil. His travelogues “Splendour of Egypt” (1967), “East African Scene” (1967), “African Experiences” (1969) and “Tamil Journey” (1968) were of great interest to readers. He had the intention of publishing another book “Towards Cambridge and European Glimpses”, which was not published but the hand written script in English is available. Azeez was well respected by the Tamil community, the climax of which was that the University of Jaffna conferred a posthumous Doctorate of Letters at their first convocation in 1980.

Azeez was appointed as a Senator on June 21, 1952, on the demise of Senator Sir Mohamed Macan Markar, and was re-appointed in 1953 and 1959. His longest and most brilliant speech was in opposing the Official Language Bill in 1956. He resigned on March 28, 1963 on being appointed as a Member of the Public Service Commission. He travelled widely attending numerous Islamic and other conferences, including Parliamentary Conferences and his presentations were well received. During all his visits he took the opportunity of visiting numerous schools and educational institutions.

Azeez has been honoured by his inclusion in the “100 Great Muslim Leaders of the 20th Century”, published by the Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi, India in 2005. He was the only Sri Lankan featured in this publication.

There have been many turning points in Azeez’s life, which he never regretted. It has been said that when Azeez registered as a student of the Law College he could have been a brilliant lawyer. He gave this up when he was awarded the Government Arts Scholarship and proceeded to Cambridge University to prepare for the History Tripos Part 2. On being successful at the Ceylon Civil Service Examination he abandoned his post-graduate studies and returned home to pursue an administrative career.

There was an alluring career for him in the CCS. Being the first Muslim to enter the coveted service did not sustain him for long, for he found that much more rewarding work could be done in other spheres. He retired prematurely to accept the post of Principal of Zahira College, Colombo, to help his community in the sadly neglected sphere of education. He resigned when Zahira was taken over by the State, and was disappointed that his vision of a Muslim Cultural University did not materialize. His pioneering work at Jamia Naleemiah were in progress when he passed away.

His sudden demise on November 24,1973 at the comparatively young age of 62 years no doubt left a vacuum not only in the Muslim leadership but in the country at large. His wife Ummu Kuluthum (granddaughter of M.I. Mohamed Alie J.P., the first Persian Vice-Consul and first Muslim Justice of Peace) pre-deceased him. His daughter was Marina and sons Ali and Iqbal. Marina passed away in 2024 and Iqbal in 2003.

In his excellent Dr. A.M.A. Azeez Memorial Oration in 2009, Mr. Susil Sirivardana portrays Azeez as an Iconic Nation Builder and covered practically all spheres of his life.

One of the best tributes paid to Dr. Azeez was by Dr. M.A. Nuhman, who retired as Professor of Tamil at the University of Peradeniya and an academic of repute. In his Dr. A.M.A. Azeez Memorial Oration delivered in 2013 he stated that “After Siddi Lebbe, Azeez was the most influential intellectual that the Muslim community ever produced”.

In delivering his Dr. A.M.A. Azeez Memorial Oration in 2024, Prof. M. Sornarajah used the hybrid term to refer to Dr. Azeez as a Muslim Tamil Leader, by paying a far reaching tribute by saying, “He was an undoubted leader of the Muslim community. Without a shadow of doubt, he had all the vestiges, in scholarship of Tamil and Tamil Saivaism and Tamil literature to be quintessentially fit to be a Tamil leader, surpassing other Tamil leaders of his times in the attributes of greatness that a Tamil leader should have”.

There were many tributes paid to Dr. Azeez; one on his personality was “He is a Muslim, he is from Jaffna, he looks like a Burgher and acts like a Sinhalese”. He lived a true Muslim and a Sri Lankan.

(Capt. A.G.A. Barrie hails from Beruwela and excelled in studies, sports and cadeting at Zahira College during the Azeez era. He graduated as a civil engineer from the University of Ceylon in 1960 and emigrated to Canada in 1969. He has excelled Internationally in the field of heavy construction and is a Project Management Consultant))

By Capt. A.G.A. Barrie SLE, P.Eng.

Dr. A.M.A. Azeez’s 52nd death anniversary falls on 24th November 2025.

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Features

More state support needed for marginalised communities

Published

2 days ago

2026/02/13

Thilina Walpola

A landslide in the Central Province

Message from Malaiyaha Tamil community to govt:

Insights from SSA Cyclone Ditwah Survey

When climate disasters strike, they don’t affect everyone equally. Marginalised communities typically face worse outcomes, and Cyclone Ditwah is no exception. Especially in a context where normalcy is far from “normal”, the idea of returning to normalcy or restoring a life of normalcy makes very little sense.

The island-wide survey (https://ssalanka.org/reports/) conducted by the Social Scientists’ Association (SSA), between early to mid-January on Cyclone Ditwah shows stark regional disparities in how satisfied or dissatisfied people were with the government’s response. While national satisfaction levels were relatively high in most provinces, the Central Province tells a different story.

Only 35.2% of Central Province residents reported that they were satisfied with early warning and evacuation measures, compared to 52.2% nationally. The gap continues across every measure: just 52.9% were satisfied with immediate rescue and emergency response, compared with the national figure of 74.6%. Satisfaction with relief distribution in the Central Province is 51.9% while the national figure stands at 73.1%. The figures for restoration of water, electricity, and roads are at a low 45.9% in the central province compared to the 70.9% in national figures. Similarly, the satisfaction level for recovery and rebuilding support is 48.7% in the Central Province, while the national figure is 67.0%.

A deeper analysis of the SSA data on public perceptions reveals something important: these lower satisfaction rates came primarily from the Malaiyaha Tamil population. Their experience differed not just from other provinces, but also from other ethnic groups living in the Central Province itself.

The Malaiyaha Tamil community’s vulnerability didn’t start with the cyclone. Their vulnerability is a historically and structurally pre-determined process of exclusion and marginalisation. Brought to Sri Lanka during British rule to work for the empire’s plantation economies, they have faced long-term economic exploitation and have repeatedly been denied access to state support and social welfare systems. Most estate residents still live in ‘line rooms’ and have no rights to the land they cultivate and live on. The community continues to be governed by an outdated estate management system that acts as a barrier to accessing public and municipal services such as road repair, water, electricity and other basic infrastructures available to other citizens.

As far as access to improved water sources is concerned, the Sri Lanka Demographic Health Survey (2016) shows that 57% of estate sector households don’t have access to improved water sources, while more than 90% of households in urban and rural areas do. With regard to the level of poverty, as the Department of Census and Statistics (2019) data reveals, the estate sector where most Malaiyaha Tamils live had a poverty headcount index of 33.8%; more than double the national rate of 14.3%. These statistics highlight key indicators of the systemic discrimination faced by the Malaiyaha Tamil community.

Some crucial observations from the SSA data collectors who enumerated responses from estate residents in the survey reveal the specific challenges faced by the Malaiyaha Tamils, particularly in their efforts to seek state support for compensation and reconstruction.

First, the Central Province experienced not just flooding but also the highest number of landslides in the island. As a result, some residents in the region lost entire homes, access roadways, and other basic infrastructures. The loss of lives, livelihoods and land was at a higher intensity compared to the provinces not located in the hills. Most importantly, the Malaiyaha Tamil community’s pre-existing grievances made them even more vulnerable and the government’s job of reparation and restitution more complex.

Early warnings hadn’t reached many areas. Some data collectors said they themselves never heard any warnings in estate areas, while others mentioned that early warnings were issued but didn’t reach some segments of the community. According to the resident data collectors, the police announcements reached only as far as the sections where they were able to drive their vehicles to, and there were many estate roads that were not motorable. When warnings did filter through to remote locations, they often came by word of mouth and information was distorted along the way. Once the disaster hit, things got worse: roads were blocked, electricity went out, mobile networks failed and people were cut off completely.

Emergency response was slow. Blocked roads meant people could not get to hospitals when they needed urgent care, including pregnant mothers. The difficult terrain and poor road conditions meant rescue teams took much longer to reach affected areas than in other regions.

Relief supplies didn’t reach everyone. The Grama Niladhari divisions in these areas are huge and hard to navigate, making it difficult for Grama Niladharis to reach all places as urgently as needed. Relief workers distributed supplies where vehicles could go, which meant accessible areas got help while remote communities were left out.

Some people didn’t even try to go to safety centres or evacuation shelters set up in local schools because the facilities there were already so poor. The perceptions of people who did go to safety centres, as shown in the provincial data, reveal that satisfaction was low compared to other affected regions of the country. Less than half were satisfied with space and facilities (42.1%) or security and protection (45.0%). Satisfaction was even lower for assistance with lost or damaged documentation (17.9%) and information and support for compensation applications (28.2%). Only 22.5% were satisfied with medical care and health services below most other affected regions.

Restoring services proved nearly impossible in some areas. Road access was the biggest problem. The condition of the roads was already poor even before the cyclone, and some still haven’t been cleared. Recovery is especially difficult because there’s no decent baseline infrastructure to restore, hence you can’t bring roads and other public facilities back to a “good” condition when they were never good, even before the disaster.

Water systems faced their own complications. Many households get water from natural sources or small community projects, and not the centralised state system. These sources are often in the middle of the disaster zone and therefore got contaminated during the floods and landslides.

Long-term recovery remains stalled. Without basic infrastructure, areas that are still hard to reach keep struggling to get the support they need for rebuilding.

Taken together, what do these testaments mean? Disaster response can’t be the same for everyone. The Malaiyaha Tamil community has been double marginalised because they were already living with structural inequalities such as poor infrastructure, geographic isolation, and inadequate services which have been exacerbated by Cyclone Ditwah. An effective and fair disaster response needs to account for these underlying vulnerabilities. It requires interventions tailored to the historical, economic, and infrastructural realities that marginalized communities face every day. On top of that, it highlights the importance of dealing with climate disasters, given the fact that vulnerable communities could face more devastating impacts compared to others.

(Shashik Silva is a researcher with the Social Scientists’ Association of Sri Lanka)

by Shashik Silva ✍️

Features

Crucial test for religious and ethnic harmony in Bangladesh

Published

3 days ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

A political protest that led to governmental change in Bangladesh mid last year. (photograph: imago)

Will the Bangladesh parliamentary election bring into being a government that will ensure ethnic and religious harmony in the country? This is the poser on the lips of peace-loving sections in Bangladesh and a principal concern of those outside who mean the country well.

The apprehensions are mainly on the part of religious and ethnic minorities. The parliamentary poll of February 12th is expected to bring into existence a government headed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist oriented Jamaat-e-Islami party and this is where the rub is. If these parties win, will it be a case of Bangladesh sliding in the direction of a theocracy or a state where majoritarian chauvinism thrives?

Chief of the Jamaat, Shafiqur Rahman, who was interviewed by sections of the international media recently said that there is no need for minority groups in Bangladesh to have the above fears. He assured, essentially, that the state that will come into being will be equable and inclusive. May it be so, is likely to be the wish of those who cherish a tension-free Bangladesh.

The party that could have posed a challenge to the above parties, the Awami League Party of former Prime Minister Hasina Wased, is out of the running on account of a suspension that was imposed on it by the authorities and the mentioned majoritarian-oriented parties are expected to have it easy at the polls.

A positive that has emerged against the backdrop of the poll is that most ordinary people in Bangladesh, be they Muslim or Hindu, are for communal and religious harmony and it is hoped that this sentiment will strongly prevail, going ahead. Interestingly, most of them were of the view, when interviewed, that it was the politicians who sowed the seeds of discord in the country and this viewpoint is widely shared by publics all over the region in respect of the politicians of their countries.

Some sections of the Jamaat party were of the view that matters with regard to the orientation of governance are best left to the incoming parliament to decide on but such opinions will be cold comfort for minority groups. If the parliamentary majority comes to consist of hard line Islamists, for instance, there is nothing to prevent the country from going in for theocratic governance. Consequently, minority group fears over their safety and protection cannot be prevented from spreading.

Therefore, we come back to the question of just and fair governance and whether Bangladesh’s future rulers could ensure these essential conditions of democratic rule. The latter, it is hoped, will be sufficiently perceptive to ascertain that a Bangladesh rife with religious and ethnic tensions, and therefore unstable, would not be in the interests of Bangladesh and those of the region’s countries.

Unfortunately, politicians region-wide fall for the lure of ethnic, religious and linguistic chauvinism. This happens even in the case of politicians who claim to be democratic in orientation. This fate even befell Bangladesh’s Awami League Party, which claims to be democratic and socialist in general outlook.

We have it on the authority of Taslima Nasrin in her ground-breaking novel, ‘Lajja’, that the Awami Party was not of any substantial help to Bangladesh’s Hindus, for example, when violence was unleashed on them by sections of the majority community. In fact some elements in the Awami Party were found to be siding with the Hindus’ murderous persecutors. Such are the temptations of hard line majoritarianism.

In Sri Lanka’s past numerous have been the occasions when even self-professed Leftists and their parties have conveniently fallen in line with Southern nationalist groups with self-interest in mind. The present NPP government in Sri Lanka has been waxing lyrical about fostering national reconciliation and harmony but it is yet to prove its worthiness on this score in practice. The NPP government remains untested material.

As a first step towards national reconciliation it is hoped that Sri Lanka’s present rulers would learn the Tamil language and address the people of the North and East of the country in Tamil and not Sinhala, which most Tamil-speaking people do not understand. We earnestly await official language reforms which afford to Tamil the dignity it deserves.

An acid test awaits Bangladesh as well on the nation-building front. Not only must all forms of chauvinism be shunned by the incoming rulers but a secular, truly democratic Bangladesh awaits being licked into shape. All identity barriers among people need to be abolished and it is this process that is referred to as nation-building.

On the foreign policy frontier, a task of foremost importance for Bangladesh is the need to build bridges of amity with India. If pragmatism is to rule the roost in foreign policy formulation, Bangladesh would place priority to the overcoming of this challenge. The repatriation to Bangladesh of ex-Prime Minister Hasina could emerge as a steep hurdle to bilateral accord but sagacious diplomacy must be used by Bangladesh to get over the problem.

A reply to N.A. de S. Amaratunga

A response has been penned by N.A. de S. Amaratunga (please see p5 of ‘The Island’ of February 6th) to a previous column by me on ‘ India shaping-up as a Swing State’, published in this newspaper on January 29th , but I remain firmly convinced that India remains a foremost democracy and a Swing State in the making.

If the countries of South Asia are to effectively manage ‘murderous terrorism’, particularly of the separatist kind, then they would do well to adopt to the best of their ability a system of government that provides for power decentralization from the centre to the provinces or periphery, as the case may be. This system has stood India in good stead and ought to prove effective in all other states that have fears of disintegration.

Moreover, power decentralization ensures that all communities within a country enjoy some self-governing rights within an overall unitary governance framework. Such power-sharing is a hallmark of democratic governance.

Features

Celebrating Valentine’s Day …

Published

3 days ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating love, romance, and affection, and this is how some of our well-known personalities plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day – 14th February:

Merlina Fernando (Singer)

Yes, it’s a special day for lovers all over the world and it’s even more special to me because 14th February is the birthday of my husband Suresh, who’s the lead guitarist of my band Mission.

We have planned to celebrate Valentine’s Day and his Birthday together and it will be a wonderful night as always.

We will be having our fans and close friends, on that night, with their loved ones at Highso – City Max hotel Dubai, from 9.00 pm onwards.

Lorensz Francke (Elvis Tribute Artiste)

On Valentine’s Day I will be performing a live concert at a Wealthy Senior Home for Men and Women, and their families will be attending, as well.

I will be performing live with romantic, iconic love songs and my song list would include ‘Can’t Help falling in Love’, ‘Love Me Tender’, ‘Burning Love’, ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’, ‘The Wonder of You’ and ‘’It’s Now or Never’ to name a few.

To make Valentine’s Day extra special I will give the Home folks red satin scarfs.

Emma Shanaya (Singer)

I plan on spending the day of love with my girls, especially my best friend. I don’t have a romantic Valentine this year but I am thrilled to spend it with the girl that loves me through and through. I’ll be in Colombo and look forward to go to a cute cafe and spend some quality time with my childhood best friend Zulha.

JAYASRI

Emma-and-Maneeka

This Valentine’s Day the band JAYASRI we will be really busy; in the morning we will be landing in Sri Lanka, after our Oman Tour; then in the afternoon we are invited as Chief Guests at our Maris Stella College Sports Meet, Negombo, and late night we will be with LineOne band live in Karandeniya Open Air Down South. Everywhere we will be sharing LOVE with the mass crowds.

Kay Jay (Singer)

I will stay at home and cook a lovely meal for lunch, watch some movies, together with Sanjaya, and, maybe we go out for dinner and have a lovely time. Come to think of it, every day is Valentine’s Day for me with Sanjaya Alles.

Maneka Liyanage (Beauty Tips)

On this special day, I celebrate love by spending meaningful time with the people I cherish. I prepare food with love and share meals together, because food made with love brings hearts closer. I enjoy my leisure time with them — talking, laughing, sharing stories, understanding each other, and creating beautiful memories. My wish for this Valentine’s Day is a world without fighting — a world where we love one another like our own beloved, where we do not hurt others, even through a single word or action. Let us choose kindness, patience, and understanding in everything we do.

Janaka Palapathwala (Singer)

Janaka

Valentine’s Day should not be the only day we speak about love.

From the moment we are born into this world, we seek love, first through the very drop of our mother’s milk, then through the boundless care of our Mother and Father, and the embrace of family.

Love is everywhere. All living beings, even plants, respond in affection when they are loved.

As we grow, we learn to love, and to be loved. One day, that love inspires us to build a new family of our own.

Love has no beginning and no end. It flows through every stage of life, timeless, endless, and eternal.

Natasha Rathnayake (Singer)

We don’t have any special plans for Valentine’s Day. When you’ve been in love with the same person for over 25 years, you realise that love isn’t a performance reserved for one calendar date. My husband and I have never been big on public displays, or grand gestures, on 14th February. Our love is expressed quietly and consistently, in ordinary, uncelebrated moments.

With time, you learn that love isn’t about proving anything to the world or buying into a commercialised idea of romance—flowers that wilt, sweets that spike blood sugar, and gifts that impress briefly but add little real value. In today’s society, marketing often pushes the idea that love is proven by how much money you spend, and that buying things is treated as a sign of commitment.

Real love doesn’t need reminders or price tags. It lives in showing up every day, choosing each other on unromantic days, and nurturing the relationship intentionally and without an audience.

This isn’t a judgment on those who enjoy celebrating Valentine’s Day. It’s simply a personal choice.

Melloney Dassanayake (Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2024)

I truly believe it’s beautiful to have a day specially dedicated to love. But, for me, Valentine’s Day goes far beyond romantic love alone. It celebrates every form of love we hold close to our hearts: the love for family, friends, and that one special person who makes life brighter. While 14th February gives us a moment to pause and celebrate, I always remind myself that love should never be limited to just one day. Every single day should feel like Valentine’s Day – constant reminder to the people we love that they are never alone, that they are valued, and that they matter.

I’m incredibly blessed because, for me, every day feels like Valentine’s Day. My special person makes sure of that through the smallest gestures, the quiet moments, and the simple reminders that love lives in the details. He shows me that it’s the little things that count, and that love doesn’t need grand stages to feel extraordinary. This Valentine’s Day, perfection would be something intimate and meaningful: a cozy picnic in our home garden, surrounded by nature, laughter, and warmth, followed by an abstract drawing session where we let our creativity flow freely. To me, that’s what love is – simple, soulful, expressive, and deeply personal. When love is real, every ordinary moment becomes magical.

Noshin De Silva (Actress)

Valentine’s Day is one of my favourite holidays! I love the décor, the hearts everywhere, the pinks and reds, heart-shaped chocolates, and roses all around. But honestly, I believe every day can be Valentine’s Day.

It doesn’t have to be just about romantic love. It’s a chance to celebrate love in all its forms with friends, family, or even by taking a little time for yourself.

Whether you’re spending the day with someone special or enjoying your own company, it’s a reminder to appreciate meaningful connections, show kindness, and lead with love every day.

And yes, I’m fully on theme this year with heart nail art and heart mehendi design!

Wishing everyone a very happy Valentine’s Day, but, remember, love yourself first, and don’t forget to treat yourself.

Sending my love to all of you.