Top Korean nameplate Kia has reinforced its presence in Sri Lanka with the opening of a striking new showroom at the iconic Altair high-rise in Colombo, marking a significant step in the brand’s continued expansion and customer engagement in the country.

The new facility, unveiled exclusively to media on 7th April 2026, occupies approximately 2,700 square feet of prime space at Retail 3 of the Altair development.

Strategically positioned at the entrance to the complex for maximum visibility and accessibility, the showroom places Kia at the heart of one of Colombo’s most prominent luxury residential and lifestyle destinations.

Designed in line with Kia’s global brand guidelines, the showroom presents a modern, customer-centric environment that reflects the company’s focus on innovation, quality and service excellence. The space is intended to offer an immersive retail experience, enabling customers to explore the brand’s evolving portfolio in a setting that mirrors international standards.

“The opening of this new showroom signals Kia’s renewed commitment to Colombo, strengthening its proximity to customers while enhancing convenience and accessibility for those seeking to engage with the brand,” Kia Motors Lanka Chairman Mahen Thambiah said. “It represents a key milestone in our strategy to deepen customer relationships and expand the Kia footprint across key urban locations.”

Taking centre stage at the new showroom is the all-new Kia Tasman, the brand’s first-ever double cab pickup, which makes its debut in Sri Lanka in tandem with the opening. The introduction of the Tasman underscores Kia’s drive to diversify its offering and respond to the evolving demands of customers across multiple segments.

In addition to the Tasman, visitors to the Altair showroom can experience Kia’s full range of vehicles, further enhancing the brand’s appeal to a broad spectrum of automotive enthusiasts.

After nearly three decades on the mat, Sri Lankan martial arts instructor H. M. Nalin Sri Tikiri Bandara has built a career that stretches from local dojos in Kandy to international training arenas in the United Arab Emirates, shaping a growing generation of students through what he describes as “a lifelong journey of discipline and self-development.”

With more than 28 years of experience, Bandara has emerged as a prominent figure in martial arts education for children, youth and adults, particularly across Sri Lanka and the UAE, where he is currently based in Abu Dhabi.

Bandara’s martial arts journey began at a young age and has since spanned multiple disciplines, including Kyokushin Karate, Ashihara Karate, Mumonkai Karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and yoga.

He holds several international dan rankings, including 3rd Dan in Kyokushin Karate (Japan), 4th Dan in Ashihara Karate (Australia), 2nd Dan in Mumonkai Karate (Japan), and 1st Dan under Josui Kai Kan Karate (Japan). Years of training camps, seminars and competitions abroad, he says, have helped refine both technical skill and teaching philosophy.

Bandara is the founder and chief instructor of Nalin Dojo, which operates across multiple locations, including a main branch in Abu Dhabi and an established centre in Kandy. He also runs expansion programmes in schools and fitness centres in the UAE.

Collectively, his programmes have trained more than 2,000 students, ranging from children as young as four to adults.

He also serves as branch chief and representative of the World Karate Alliance Kyokushin Bugakukai, and contributes to the development of full-contact karate at national level in Sri Lanka.

At the core of his teaching is a hybrid approach he calls “Yoga Martial Arts”, blending karate discipline, yoga-based mental conditioning, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu principles and sports science.

The focus, he says, extends beyond physical combat to character formation, emphasising discipline, respect, confidence-building and mental resilience.

“Martial arts is not just about fighting, it is about building better human beings,” Bandara said.

Much of his work is directed at children and adolescents, particularly in an era he describes as increasingly dominated by digital distractions.

He argues that structured martial arts training can reduce screen dependency, improve concentration, and strengthen emotional stability, while promoting healthier lifestyles.

“Children’s future is the future of the community,” he said, underscoring his belief that early discipline shapes long-term social outcomes.

Beyond regular training, Bandara organises grading examinations, workshops, school programmes and community fitness initiatives in both Sri Lanka and the UAE.

He has continued such activities even during periods of global disruption, maintaining regular engagement with students and instructors.

Looking ahead, Bandara plans to expand his dojo network across the UAE and internationally, while developing structured youth development programmes and training future instructors.

His long-term ambition is to build a sustainable martial arts ecosystem that integrates physical excellence with character education.

In a career defined by discipline and continuity, Bandara represents a generation of martial arts instructors blending traditional combat systems with modern wellness principles — and, in the process, attempting to shape not just fighters, but future citizens.

by SK Samaranayake

As Sri Lanka confronts mounting environmental and economic pressures, a timely national conversation on resilience has underscored the urgent need to rethink how societies respond to change—by balancing resistance with alignment to nature.

The inaugural Nature Talks Webinar Series, titled “Nature’s Secrets for Building Resilience in a Changing World,” took place on Wednesday night, bringing together leading environmental thinkers who argued that resilience is no longer optional, but essential in navigating climate and ecological uncertainty.

Organised collaboratively by the International Centre for Biological Studies (ICBS), GAP HQ, and the Biomimicry Research Centre, the session aimed to bridge science, policy, and innovation, while drawing practical lessons from nature.

Leading the discussion, Professor Sarath Kotagama of the University of Colombo emphasised that resilience must be understood as a combination of resistance and alignment.

“Resilience is about resisting where necessary, but also forming alliances with change,” he said. “We are not saying we can stop everything. The real question is—can we adjust to live with it?”

He urged societies to reflect on their ability not only to prevent or resist environmental change, but also to adapt intelligently to it. Referring to global developments such as Artemis II, Kotagama noted that humanity is increasingly being reminded of how rapidly conditions are shifting on Earth.

Drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Kotagama outlined several insights that have reshaped thinking on resilience.

“One of the most important lessons was the role of microbes,” he said. “We always focused on large animals in biodiversity, but COVID showed us that invisible organisms can have a massive impact on the planet.”

He explained that while conservation has traditionally prioritised charismatic species such as elephants and birds, microorganisms—often overlooked—are equally critical to ecological balance.

Professor Kotagama also challenged assumptions about nature. “Nature is not always kind or caring. Under certain conditions, it can be harsh, and humans don’t necessarily feel affection for all forms of life—especially microbes,” he said.

At the same time, he stressed the decisive role of science. “If not for science, we would not have survived as we did,” he noted, pointing to the rapid development of vaccines despite global norms that typically require years of testing.

He further highlighted the importance of governance. “We may not always like governments, but during COVID, governments mattered. Without coordinated action, the outcome would have been far worse,” he said.

Professor Kotagama added that the pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in the global economic system, with industries such as tourism collapsing almost overnight due to what he described as “an invisible microbe.”

“It showed clearly that systems we thought were stable can be disrupted instantly,” he said, warning that unsustainable development models—particularly in tourism—must be reconsidered.

Meanwhile, Professor Sevandi Jayakody of Wayamba University of Sri Lanka highlighted biomimicry as a key pathway to resilience.

“The biggest answer to resilience is biomimicry,” Professor Jayakody said. “Nature already holds solutions—we just need to understand and apply them.”

She explained that biomimicry can operate at the level of form, process, or systems, and cited mangrove restoration as a practical example. Attempts to artificially recreate ecosystems often fall short unless they follow natural patterns such as tidal flows and species interactions.

“In restoring degraded mangroves, we learned that forcing systems does not work. When we followed natural contours and introduced resilient ‘nurse’ species, the ecosystem began to recover on its own,” she said.

Professor Jayakody emphasised that resilience must be embedded within environmental systems rather than imposed externally. “Resilience is a function of the environment we live in. If we ignore that, our interventions will fail,” she said.

She also cautioned against expecting rapid results. “Nature is slow. Humans are in a hurry,” Professor Jayakody noted, pointing to long-term data showing that even measurable ecological changes—such as seasonal shifts—can occur gradually over decades.

“Change is inevitable, but it is not always sudden. We need long-term data, patience, and the wisdom to interpret it correctly,” she added.

Moderating the session, Imaduwa Priyadarshana brought a practical perspective on sustainable design and adaptation, highlighting how nature-based thinking can inform urban planning and infrastructure.

With Sri Lanka grappling with climate variability, coastal degradation, and energy challenges, the experts stressed that such knowledge-sharing platforms are increasingly vital. The discussion aligned with a growing global shift towards nature-based solutions—learning from ecosystems that have evolved resilience over millennia.

By Ifham Nizam