Business
Virtusa marks 5th anniversary of NSBM Green University
with further Investments to enrich successful industry partnership
Virtusa Corporation, a global provider of digital strategy, digital engineering, and IT services and solutions, celebrated the fifth anniversary milestone of the NSBM Green University with a pledge to enhance its industry partnership with the national higher educational institution through further long-term investments.
Working closely with NSBM through its Campus Reach initiative, Virtusa recently extended its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance and recruit the next generation of IT professionals. The MoU was formalized by Prof. E. A. Weerasinghe, Vice Chancellor of the NSBM Green University and Sampath Thrimavithana, Head of Human Resources of Virtusa Sri Lanka. Additionally, Ahilan Vivekanandan – Senior Director for Asia Pacific & Europe, Lalitha Perera – Head of Learning & Development Sri Lanka, Shiham Nawaz – Head of Capability Transformation & Operations Leadership Sri Lanka and Suweda Rajaratnam – Head of Campus Reach Sri Lanka, represented Virtusa at the event, while Prof. Chaminda Rathnayake – Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Rasika Ranaweera – Dean Faculty of Computing, Pavithra Kankanamge – Head/Senior Lecturer – Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering from the NSBM Green University were also present at the signing of the MoU.
“We are happy to level up our partnership with Sri Lanka’s leading IT and digital engineering company Virtusa, and synchronize our curriculum development with industry skill demand,” Vice Chancellor of the NSBM Green University Prof. E. A. Weerasinghe commented. “Through strategic, long-term collaborations such as these, we can drive academic outcomes that ensure an effective entry for our graduates into a new talent landscape.”
With this MoU, Virtusa aims to elevate its industry partnership with NSBM to the next level by mapping current industry anticipation to relevant skill sets, developing competencies for employability in this rapidly evolving sector. NSBM’s IT talent pool stands to benefit greatly through mentorships, sponsorships, as well as international exposure through Virtusa’s network of global partners, and recruitment opportunities for over 150 top graduates annually.
“Top performing university students are not only sought for their employment potential by companies, they also form a very crucial and transformational link in our IT industry supply chain; one that propels growth, new thinking and innovation,” Sampath Thrimavithana, Head of Human Resources of Virtusa Sri Lanka stated. “IT graduates from NSBM and across Sri Lanka will remain one of Virtusa’s key investments as our company and industry evolves at a rapid pace.”
To date, Virtusa has introduced a number of programs at NSBM such as core technological skills, project management skills, and soft skills for non-technical human interactions to make the university-to-workplace-culture transition effortless for graduates. Virtusa also added a number of intelligent technologies and platforms into the curriculum under emerging technological skills. Young graduates will soon be able to explore such technologies at a dedicated incubation laboratory fully sponsored by Virtusa, scheduled to open by the end of 2021.
Virtusa’s Campus Reach initiative – an industry-academia partnership – was designed to carry out IT curriculum development, internships and mentoring among partner universities and institutes of higher education, directly improving skill capacities of potential employees. The Campus Reach initiative helps the company forecast and plan entry-level talent acquisition, bridge skill gaps and map future talent needs by shaping a more relevant curriculum, and creating a highly compatible talent pool.
Business
SIA warns of 1,000 SME collapses, urges fair policies to protect Sri Lanka’s rooftop solar sector
By Sanath Nanayakkare
The Solar Industries Association (SIA), representing over 1,000 companies and employing 40,000 workers in Sri Lanka’s rooftop solar sector, issued a stern warning recently regarding threats to the industry’s survival and the nation’s renewable energy ambitions. The association condemned recent regulatory instability and called for urgent policy reforms to avert economic and social crises.
The SIA categorically rejected the Ceylon Electricity Board’s (CEB) claim that rooftop solar installations caused the recent island-wide power outage, calling the accusation “baseless and misleading.”
“Public trust is eroded when accountability is misdirected,” the SIA stated. “We demand an independent, transparent investigation led by experts appointed by the Ministry or the Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL). The CEB’s unilateral statements disregard the sector’s contributions and jeopardize Sri Lanka’s renewable energy transition,” they said.
“While acknowledging the formation of a tariff determination committee, the SIA criticized its narrow focus on financial parameters, ignoring the sector’s socioeconomic value. Rooftop solar empowers businesses and households with energy independence, reduces grid strain, and supports climate goals. However, proposed volatile tariff structures risk destabilizing over 100,000 installations—primarily owned by middle-class families—and deter future investment,” they noted.
“A rigid, equation-based tariff system is unsustainable,” the association warned. “Sri Lanka needs a stable policy framework to attract long-term investments. For instance, retirees could invest EPF savings into solar projects, securing income while advancing national energy targets. Without urgent action, 1,000 SMEs and 40,000 jobs face collapse, with dire consequences for employment, energy security, and economic stability,” they pointed out.
SIA urged policymakers to establish an independent committee to investigate the power outage fairly, expand the tariff committee’s mandate to include socioeconomic and environmental benefits and implement predictable policies to safeguard SMEs, households, and investor confidence.
“Sri Lanka stands at a crossroads,” the SIA emphasized. “Protecting rooftop solar isn’t just about energy—it’s about livelihoods, economic resilience, and a sustainable future. We urge stakeholders to collaborate on solutions that prioritize both people and progress,: they emphasized.
SLT-MOBITEL has entered into a strategic partnership with Rush Lanka Group to provide exclusive SLT-MOBITEL Fibre connectivity solutions to their portfolio of luxury apartment developments in Colombo and the suburbs, enhancing the digital experience of all residents.
The agreement was signed between Imantha Wijekoon, Chief Business Officer of Consumer Business at SLT, and Zaid Ariff, Director of Construction at the Rush Group headquarters. Representatives from both companies also attended the ceremony.
Under the partnership, SLT-MOBITEL will serve as the exclusive digital service provider for five prestigious Rush Lanka developments including Street Rush Residencies and Rush Court 4 in Mt. Lavinia, Rush Tower 2, Rush Metropolis in Dehiwala, and Rush Court 5 in Colombo 14. The collaboration ensures residents will enjoy superior fibre connectivity speeds, enabling seamless digital experiences in modern smart homes. The partnership with the Rush Lanka Group aligns with SLT-MOBITEL’s commitment to offer ultra-fast, reliable connectivity solutions to residential developments. Delivering exclusive fibre connectivity to luxury apartments, SLT-MOBITEL ensures residents have access to world-class digital services that complement the living experience promised by Rush Lanka Group.
Powered by advanced fibre technology, SLT-MOBITEL network will provide the residences with seamless performance across digital activities. The SLT-MOBITEL Fibre backbone ensures lag-free experiences whether tenants are gaming online, attending virtual classes, working remotely, or streaming high-definition entertainment. SLT-MOBITEL Fibre will transform the lifestyles of all apartment users bringing greater convenience and superior quality of life.
Rush Lanka Group, established in 1992, is a property developer specializing in luxury and semi-luxury apartments.
Starting its promotional work for 2025, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) added another feather into its cap of endorsements, by being recognized as the most innovative Tourism Board promotion in Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) . In parallel to that, several other sub events were held. The OTM was held in Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai—India, from 30th January to 01st February 2025.Before OTM, the Global Village – Global Exchange & Trade Exhibition was held at the Surat International Exhibition & Convention Centre , Sarsana, Surat (Gujarat – India , from 25th to 27th January 2025. This travel fair was organized by Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI).
Sri Lanka participated in both OTM and South Asia’s Travel & Tourism Exchange (SATTE), held from 19th – 21st Feb 2025, in New Delhi, India . This was an excellent opportunity for Sri Lanka to promote it’s potential as a unique travel destination, especially for the Indian counterparts, as SLTPB has identified India as the number one source market for Sri Lanka, tourism bringing the largest number of tourist arrivals to the destination.
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