Business
Hameedia commemorates Women’s Day with dual events
Hameedia, Sri Lanka’s leading total men’s wear solution provider commemorated International Women’s Day recently with a wave of educative and interesting events.
Celebrated cricketing personality Roshan Mahanama, Attorneys-at-Law, Naushalya Rajapaksha and Chamathka Rathnayaka from The Yeheliya Foundation and Dr. Lanka Jayasuriya Dissanayake, Chairperson/Trustee of the Indira Cancer Trust (ICT) Foundation together with the management and staff at Hameedia (Pvt) Ltd joined hands to celebrate all the impressive women who are an integral and invaluable part of the fashion entity.
Guest speaker from the Yeheliya Foundation made an informative speech related to cyber bullying in modern society, as many fall prey to the diabolical dilemma that wrecks the lives of many, with a majority of the victims being women, children and youth.
The speakers advised the staff of Hameedia on how important it is for women to be mentally strong in order to fight against injustices they face in today’s society where a person or anyone’s character can be destroyed by the mere click of a button.
Moving on, in keeping with an environment friendly concept that is additionally beneficial to women, Hameedia gifted a fruit plant each, to all 375 female members of their staff, to be grown in their home gardens.
Going a step further in ensuring the health and vitality of the staff meant taking the initiative to create awareness about breast cancer. Organised in collaboration with the Indira Cancer Trust, this event was instrumental in increasing awareness on the subject that had been a taboo for years. Now, regarded as a preventable form of cancer if detected early, cancer also shows no partiality as women belonging to all levels of society are prone to it.
Sri Lanka’s celebrated menswear specialist, Fouzul Hameed, Managing Director at Hameedia (Pvt) Ltd said, “While we at Hameedia value our female workforce and ensure they are treated with utmost respect every single day, Women’s Day 2021 gave us a good opportunity to organize events in collaboration with two of the most formidable charitable organisations that have created an impact on the lives of women in our country. It is our aim that these events will ensure a life well lived for all our female staff as each woman deserves to live life to the fullest and become the best version of themselves”.
ABOUT The Yeheliya Foundation: The Yeheliya Foundation is a Charitable Foundation which strives to create a space for young girls and women from different walks of life to strive towards creating an equal platform for their female counterparts. The foundation has brought together passionate individuals to work towards finding solutions for the betterment of society as a whole. They carry out activities for students, youth, and persons from all walks of life, not just women; and they are currently functioning as a multi-faceted foundation addressing a wide array of societal issues.
Business
IceWarp expands into Sri Lanka, fostering European innovation in collaboration with FentonsIT
IceWarp, a global leader in business communication solutions, has officially launched its cutting-edge platform in Sri Lanka, bringing European expertise in email and collaboration solutions to support the country’s evolving business landscape.
This expansion is driven by a strategic partnership with Fentons Information Technology (FIT), the Information Technology arm of Hayleys Fentons Limited.
The grand launch event held at The Kingsbury Colombo on 4th April, 2025, was graced by several distinguished guests, including Chief Guest Mohan Pandithage, Chairman and Chief Executive of Hayleys PLC.
The presence of Adam Paclt, Global CEO of IceWarp, and Pramod Sharda, CEO for India and the Middle East of IceWarp, along with their global team, highlighted the significance of this expansion. Industry experts, government officials, corporate leaders, and CIOs from the banking, financial services and insurance sectors were in attendance as well, reflecting strong local interest in IceWarp’s European expertise.
With this launch, Sri Lankan businesses now have access to an affordable, scalable and secure alternative to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. IceWarp’s advanced Collaboration Suite integrates a wide range of tools into a single, unified platform designed to streamline communication and boost productivity. Offering flexible hybrid deployment options and cost-efficient solution, IceWarp enables organisations to optimise their operations without compromising security or functionality.
Ceylon Energy and HJT China have successfully completed the Mahiyangana-Kappalthurei 33kV power distribution lines and the Uhana Gantry as part of Sri Lanka’s Supporting Electricity Supply Reliability Improvement Project (SESRIP). Funded by the Asian Development Bank ($42 million), SESRIP aims to expand energy access in underserved regions, including conflict-affected areas and provinces like Uva and North Central.
The project’s infrastructure spans over 270 km of 33kV lines, 13 switching gantries, and 2,372 km of low-voltage extensions.
The projects connect 35,000+ households and improve reliability for 493,000+ consumers; integrates renewables to reduce losses.
The projects’ notable components include: Mahiyangana-Bibila Line: 36 km with 147 steel towers and Kappalthurei-Sixth Mile Post Line: 14 km with 58 towers.
Ceylon Energy Chairman Madushanka Fernando hailed it as a ‘new beginning of a brighter era’, emphasising the project’s role in uplifting rural communities and driving sustainable development.
The initiative underscores Sri Lanka’s commitment to inclusive, reliable energy and climate resilience.
Eventistry Sports, a trailblazer in innovative sporting events, has unveiled the Sri Lanka Padel League (SLPL), the nation’s first franchise-based padel tournament, set to debut in June 2025. This groundbreaking league promises to redefine Sri Lanka’s sports landscape by creating a dynamic national platform for athletes while fostering unity among fans, brands, and communities.
The SLPL will showcase six franchise teams, each embodying the spirit of iconic Sri Lankan locales: the Colombo Chargers, Yala Rangers, Hikkaduwa Riders, Ella Hawks, Arugambay Vipers, and Trinco Warriors. These teams will not only ignite regional pride but also unite the country through a shared passion for padel—a fast-paced racquet sport merging tennis and squash, played on enclosed courts.
“The SLPL is more than a league; it’s a movement,” declared Karin Wijeratne, Director of Eventistry Sports. “By blending franchise sports with Sri Lanka’s vibrant culture, we’re creating a platform where players gain national recognition, fans rally behind their hometown heroes, and brands engage with communities in meaningful ways.”
The league’s launch on June 21–23, 2025, at Colombo’s Padel House courts (CR&FC) will kick off with three days of high-octane matches, preceded by a star-studded player auction on May 16th at The Vault, Colombo City Centre. Local talent—both professional and intermediate—will be drafted by franchise owners, with international registrations now open to elevate the competition’s global appeal.
Please log in to: www.slpadelleague.com and social media: @SriLankaPadelLeague (Facebook & Instagram) for more information.
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