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BOC City Office reopens at historic location in Colombo

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The historic “City Office” building of the country’s No.1 Bank was ceremonially opened after being refurbished to add more glamour and modernity to its historic value.

The ceremony took place in line with the bank’s 83rd anniversary held August 1, with the participation of the chairman .Kanchana Ratwatte, General Manager K.E.D. Sumanasiri, the Additional General Manager Russel Fonseka, members of the corporate and Executive Management and other distinguished guests including long standing customers of the bank. The DGM, Branch Operations and Development banking Priyal Silva, AGM Western Province Central Mrs.Ruchindra Perera and staff members of the City branch officiated in the ceremony.

The building is the premise to the first bank-branch of the Bank of Ceylon (BOC) where, Sri Lanka’s first indigenous modern bank was established by Sir Andrew Caldecott, the Governor of Ceylon on August 1, 1939 located at No 41, Bristol Street, Colombo 01. Hence the building itself has a long historic value that enriches BOC’s 83 year-long heritage.

The City Office building is solely owned by Bank of Ceylon and is one of historical buildings located in Colombo fort area as recognized by the Department of Archaeology. Bank of Ceylon takes pride in maintaining this historical building for more than eight decades, preserving its historical values for the nation. (BOC)

As part of preserving its historic value for further more while adding the sophistication required for modern customers the bank took steps to fully renovate the City Office building with careful attention to its originality. By now the City Office has reinstated in the new refurbished building that has come back to life with its original prestige and added digital convenience to serve all its invaluable customers with the same warmth and care as ever before.

With over 2000 customer touch points across the country, the Bank of Ceylon, the No.1 banking brand in the country awarded by the Brand Finance Lanka. It was also awarded the coveted title of “Bank of the Year 2021 – Sri Lanka” by “The Banker Magazine UK”. The prestigious award was bestowed in recognition of the bank’s contribution to uplifting the lives of all Sri Lankans, while fulfilling its duty as the premier state bank. This award adds yet another title to the multi-award-winning bank that has been listed in the Top 1,000 Banks in the World ranking, with a country ranking of No. 1, again by “The Banker” magazine, UK. Brand “BOC”. (BOC)



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‘Lanka Tractors returns with a historic Colombo 11 showroom’

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Lanka Tractors Limited officially reopened its original showroom in Colombo 11, marking the return of one of Sri Lanka’s most recognised agricultural machinery companies and the official launch of the ACE Tractor brand in the country.

Located at 343 Olcott Mawatha, Colombo 11, the showroom was ceremonially declared open by Chief Guest Dudley Sirisena, Chairman of the Araliya Group of Companies, in the presence of Upul Jayasuriya, Chairman of Lanka Tractors Limited, Thilina Abeysuriya, Managing Director, Nishantha Yapa, Head of Business, and Rajiv Gunawardena, CEO of Asia Asset Finance PLC.

Originally established in 1971 as the State Trading (Tractor) Corporation, Lanka Tractors was restructured in 1991 and became one of Sri Lanka’s largest importers and distributors of agricultural machinery. Over the decades, the company represented internationally renowned brands including Massey Ferguson, Kubota and TAFE, earning the trust of generations of Sri Lankan farmers through quality products, technical expertise and dependable after-sales support. The reopening of its original Colombo 11 showroom, first established in 1982, marks the revival of an institution that has played a pivotal role in the mechanisation of Sri Lankan agriculture for more than five decades.

The company’s revival commenced in late 2025 through an exclusive partnership with ACE Tractors, the agricultural division of Action Construction Equipment (ACE) Limited, one of India’s leading engineering and manufacturing companies. ACE manufactures tractors, agricultural machinery, construction equipment and industrial equipment, with annual production capacity exceeding 9,000 tractors, exports to more than 37 countries, and a dealer and service network spanning over 100 locations worldwide.

Prior to the commercial launch, Lanka Tractors adopted an extensive validation programme to ensure the products were ideally suited to Sri Lankan farming conditions. Three introductory models—the ACE VEER 3000 (26 HP 4WD), ACE DI 350 NG (40 HP 2WD) and ACE DI 450 NG (45 HP 4WD)—underwent rigorous field testing across multiple agricultural regions under the supervision of ACE technical specialists. Following several product refinements based on local operating conditions, the tractors were introduced to the market in April 2026.

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Akurugraphy exhibition opens at Geoffrey Bawa Space in Colombo

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The desire to communicate and be understood is at the heart of what it is to be human. In contemporary life, digital infrastructure underpins how we work, live, and share information, but the letterforms that carry our languages are rarely neutral.

Arkurugraphy, a new exhibition at the Geoffrey Bawa Space, explores the history, culture, and future of letterforms across Sri Lanka’s three official languages. Presenting the decade-long practice of Colombo-based type foundry Mooniak, it examines how decisions about the digitisation of Sinhala, Tamil, and Latin scripts impact legibility and carry deep consequences for who is seen, who is heard, and whose language endures.

Writing systems carry human thought and knowledge across time and space. Letterforms can become a form of cultural artefact, unique graphic symbols representing identity and belonging. Today, these inherited letterforms often take shape as digital fonts, their design demanding fluency across history, aesthetics, linguistics, and technical standards. Akurugraphy asks audiences to look at letterforms beyond the act of reading: to appreciate their form, trace their past, and consider the decisions that impact their future.

Akurugraphy brings together typographic specimens, archival material, and software development spanning Mooniak’s full body of practice. It is a celebration of letterforms as art and an examination of the technical and political stakes of designing scripts for the digital age. As part of the exhibition, the Geoffrey Bawa Space will host a programme of monthly talks, curatorial tours, workshops, and children’s programmes.

Akurugraphy is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., and will be on view until 8 November 2026. The exhibition is designed to be accessible and welcoming to all visitors. The Geoffrey Bawa Space offers step-free access and wheelchair accessible facilities. Tactile elements are available throughout the exhibition. More information is available at geoffreybawa.com/akurugraphy .

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SLT-MOBITEL ‘Sadaham Sabendiyava’ brings devotees closer to the spirit of Poson

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SLT-MOBITEL’s ‘Sadaham Sabendiyava’ brought a new dimension to the sacred Poson Poya celebrations in Anuradhapura. Powered by SLT-MOBITEL 5G technology for the first time in Sri Lanka, the initiative featured a series of immersive digital experiences that enabled devotees to celebrate one of Sri Lanka’s most cherished religious observances in meaningful new ways. At the historic Basawakkulama Lake, a striking illuminated Water Pandol brought to life the arrival of Great Arahant Mahinda Thero and the introduction of the Dhamma, allowing devotees to connect with a defining moment in the nation’s Buddhist heritage.

The experience continued through a 3D Interactive Tunnel, where the capabilities of SLT-MOBITEL 5G network delivered an engaging, immersive environment that demonstrated how next-generation connectivity can enrich storytelling and create memorable shared experiences. The company also introduced Digital Greeting engagements for Poson Poya, offering devotees a thoughtful way to send blessings to family and friends, showing how technology can help preserve traditions while strengthening the bonds that matter most. In keeping with the spirit of giving that defines Poson, SLT-MOBITEL further organised a series of events including Data Dansala and an Ice Cream Dansala for devotees.

With the participation of SLT Group Chairman Dr. Mothilal de Silva and senior management of SLT-MOBITEL, the initiative invited devotees to come together in faith while demonstrating how innovation can deepen shared experiences. By blending the country’s rich cultural heritage with advanced digital technology, SLT-MOBITEL reinforced its commitment to ensuring Sri Lanka’s traditions continue to inspire and connect generations in an increasingly digital world.

The initiatives reflect SLT-MOBITEL’s broader role in empowering Sri Lanka through digital innovation.

As the country’s National ICT Solutions Provider, SLT-MOBITEL believes technology has a greater purpose beyond connectivity.

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