Business
‘Arise Sri Lanka’ Musical Extravaganza: An inspirational message to the world
Show takes place at Nelum Pokuna Theatre on Saturday
By Steve A. Morrell
‘Arise Sri Lanka’ a musical extravaganza featuring the best Sri Lankan Western musical fraternity will be presented at the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre on Saturday 29th August at 6:30pm, the organisers of the event said at a media briefing held at Galadari Hotel in Colombo.
One of the main purposes of bringing all this talent together is to pay a tribute to the frontline workers who helped combat the coronavirus pandemic while encouraging foreign travelers to visit Sri Lanka when the country’s borders reopen for leisure travel.
Richard de Zoysa, the architect of the event, outlined the manner in which the government together with the armed services, the medical and health officials combined to control the pandemic. He said that their exemplary actions deserved global recognition and he is determined to create an avenue where not only all Sri Lankans, but the rest of the world would be made aware of how governments could face a crisis of this nature by being decisive and resolute.
The Telethon will be presented by Elite Promotions & Entertainment together with Real and Kiss FM along with Siyatha TV. X’Periments , Mirage and Aquarius will back the artistes who include Damien, Bonnie , Ranil Amirthiah , Bonnie of Crossroads , Rukshan and Melantha Perera, Umara, Corrinne Almeida , Shiyam and Shamistar , April Shockman , Jackie and Ishini Fonseka, Marlon , Shafi and Sherriden , Rajitha of Misty, Treshelle and Mariazelle will all perform at what will probably the best ever event to be held in Sri Lanka in appreciation of our real heroines and heroes.
De Zoysa, the producer and director of Arise Sri Lanka is working together with the World Health Organization on this project.
Nalin Welgama, Founder and Executive Chairman of Ideal Group (one of the organisers of Arise Sri Lanka) said the show on Saturday could be equated to the worldwide rock concert ‘Live Aid’ by Bob Geldof which raised funds to help the people of Ethiopia.
Tickets for the show are priced at Rs. 7,500. Proceeds will go to medical services while donations would be welcome for the laudable cause, organisers said.
Lion’s Club of Millennium City Athurugiriya to conduct blood donation
Many countries are facing shortages at blood banks, especially due to low voluntary blood donations amid coronavirus lockdowns. Blood donations by many countries have reportedly dropped by 50% since mid-March, since many drives were canceled. In this backdrop, the Lion’s Club of Millennium City Athurugiriya has organised a blood donation programme to be held at the blood Bank on Saturday, 29th August at the National Blood Transfusion Centre at No 555/5, Elvitigala Mawatha, Colombo 05 from 8AM to 5PM. Anyone interested to donate blood may register through WhatsApp or SMS via 0762030400.
Pix by Dharmasena Welipitiya
Business
FRELLA launches world class wellness products locally with Baurs & Co.
FRELLA, Sri Lankan-born and internationally-respected natural beauty and wellness brand, is setting the stage to expand operations by entering the Sri Lankan retail market. As the country’s only dedicated wellness company operating at an international scale, this move marks a new chapter for a brand with a growing global presence that has already earned the trust of luxury hotels and international customers.
For over seven years, FRELLA has emerged as Sri Lanka’s leading wellness brand, serving clients and partners across more than 15 international markets. The brand’s entry into the Sri Lankan retail market marks a significant milestone, allowing local consumers to access globally respected wellness products developed from the island’s own healing traditions. This retail expansion is supported through a strategic partnership with Baurs, a trusted 170-year-old Swedish multinational company, ensuring sophisticated distribution and access aligned with international retail standards.
FRELLA is rooted in Sri Lanka’s ancient healing traditions and inspired by centuries-old Ayurvedic wisdom. All FRELLA products are specially designed as holistic wellness solutions for the body, skin, hair, and soul, and focuses on providing nourishment, balance, and healthy aging through refined, modern wellness systems.
Business
Writer Business Services enters Sri Lanka to partner with institutions to provide information management and payments solutions
Writer Corporation, one of India’s leading business groups, announced the launch of its subsidiary, Writer Business Services Pvt. Ltd., and the commencement of its operations in Sri Lanka. The expansion reflects Sri Lanka’s strategic importance in Writer’s regional growth plans and its role in supporting a highly regulated digital and financial services market which is currently undergoing digital transformation.
Sri Lanka’s continued focus on strengthening regulatory frameworks, digital platforms, and financial systems is shaping how institutions across banking, government, and enterprise sectors approach their business operations. There is a clear emphasis on secure, compliant, and resilient information and transaction environments that can scale with regulatory and business needs. Writer’s entry into Sri Lanka aligns with this direction, bringing global experience and a partnership-led approach to the market.
As part of its launch, Writer will establish a secure records and information storage facility in Seeduwa, Colombo. Designed to meet global standards for security, compliance, and disaster resilience, the facility will support banks, financial institutions, government bodies, and large enterprises in managing physical and digital information across its lifecycle.
Alongside information management, Writer brings established expertise in integrated payment services to support the modernization of transaction infrastructure across the banking and financial services sector. Its payments capabilities focus on strengthening availability, transaction continuity, and transparency across critical payment channels that underpin institutional reliability and customer confidence.
Writer’s digital payments offerings in Sri Lanka include end-to-end ATM and self-service terminal outsourcing, integrated channel ownership and managed services, field management applications, payment and reconciliation platforms, and remote monitoring with near real-time reporting. These solutions support financial institutions in improving uptime, strengthening governance, and enhancing operational efficiency across payment networks, in line with the continued evolution of electronic and automated payment systems.
Across information management and payments, Writer operates with an integrated portfolio spanning records and information management, business process outsourcing, cloud and digital services, data privacy, cybersecurity and enterprise payments infrastructure. These capabilities support institutions in addressing evolving regulatory requirements, digitization of legacy environments, and rising operational and cyber risks.
Writer’s local presence enables closer collaboration with clients and on-ground delivery, while supporting the development of Centres of Excellence across cybersecurity operations, SOC and NOC services, AI-led solutions, and payments operations and monitoring.
Writer’s Sri Lanka operations will be built, led, and run by Sri Lankan professionals, reflecting a long-term commitment to local talent growth and development.
Commenting on this development, Satyamohan Yanambaka, CEO, Writer Global Services Pvt. Ltd., assured Writer’s long-term commitment to the country’s digital ambitions. He said, “Writer’s entry into Sri Lanka reflects our belief that digital ambition in regulated environments must be supported by trust, sound governance, and strong execution. As institutions scale digital services, the reliability of information and payment systems, channel operations, and governance frameworks becomes increasingly important to public and institutional confidence. Our experience across information management, digital transformation, and enterprise payments enables us to support secure, large-scale financial ecosystems, with a clear commitment to building and leading these capabilities locally.”
Sri Lanka’s Digital Personal Data Protection framework raises expectations around how personal and sensitive information is secured and governed.
Business
Altair issues over 100+ title deeds post-ownership change
Altair Residences have, over the past six months, seen more than 100 individual title deeds being executed by apartment owners, providing owners with a clear, registered, legal title to their apartments in accordance with Sri Lankan property law. This has been a key initiative by the new owners and management of Altair to improve governance and will continue in an orderly manner in the coming months.
With the transition of ownership to Blackstone India, Altair’s Management Council has also been formally constituted, enabling owners to play an active and proactive role in the management of the Altair building. In addition, the management council has appointed Realty Management Services (RMS), a subsidiary of Overseas Realty Ceylon PLC, as the new facility manager of Altair.
Commenting on these milestones, Thilan Wijesinghe, Chairman of TWC Holdings, who, together with a team from TWC, represents Blackstone’s interests in Sri Lanka, said, “The issuance of individual title deeds is a critical step in any professionally developed residential asset. Over the past six months, this process at Altair has moved forward in a structured and transparent manner, alongside the formal establishment of owner-led governance. This, combined with the appointment of experienced facility managers are fundamental building block for long-term value-creation for apartment owners and proper asset stewardship.”
With ongoing improvements to the building being undertaken by Indocean Developers Pvt Ltd (IDPL), the owning company of Altair, the issuance of deeds to owners is expected to accelerate over the coming months.
-
Business4 days agoComBank, UnionPay launch SplendorPlus Card for travelers to China
-
Business5 days agoComBank advances ForwardTogether agenda with event on sustainable business transformation
-
Opinion5 days agoConference “Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill: Neither Here, Nor There”
-
Business1 day agoClimate risks, poverty, and recovery financing in focus at CEPA policy panel
-
Opinion4 days agoLuck knocks at your door every day
-
Business6 days agoDialog Brings the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup 2026 Closer to Sri Lankans
-
News5 days agoRising climate risks and poverty in focus at CEPA policy panel tomorrow at Open University
-
Business1 day agoBourse positively impacted by CBSL policy rate stance
