Business
Ceylinco Life donates piped oxygen distribution system to Matale District General Hospital
An uninterrupted supply of life-saving oxygen is now reaching nearly 300 beds at the Matale District General Hospital, thanks to a community initiative of Ceylinco Life, the company announced in a press release.
Sri Lanka’s life insurance market leader has invested Rs 12.3 million to build a pipe network that connects the hospital’s central oxygen concentrator with the wards, eliminating the cumbersome, time-consuming and costly practice of re-filling cylinders and transporting them to wards across the 22-acre compound.
As a result of this project, the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and other wards are now self-sufficient in oxygen, leading to a significant improvement in the quality of treatment, while the hospital’s oxygen concentrator is expected to reach maximum utilization.
Ceylinco Life also presented essential medicines to the value worth over Rs 500,000 at the ceremony at which the new oxygen distribution system was formally handed over to the hospital.
Speaking at a ceremony, Ceylinco Life Chairman Mr R. Renganathan said: “Our company has always shared its success with its stakeholders. The general public is one such stakeholder. Sri Lanka has one of the best healthcare systems in the world, and any citizen can seek medical care free of charge. Naturally, there are cost implications and challenges. We are aware that many hospitals do not have every item of equipment that they need. Ceylinco Life has made numerous contributions over the years to the Government healthcare system as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility programme.”
Thanking Ceylinco Life for its generous contributions to the Matale District General Hospital, the hospital’s Director Dr A. G. M. M. Dharmadasa emphasised the importance of treatment at the “golden hour” for patients, and elaborated on how this initiative will enable the hospital to provide better treatment to patients in a critical condition.
Among Ceylinco Life’s many contributions to the state healthcare sector are the donation of purpose-built and fully-equipped High Dependency Units (HDUs) to the Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowila, the National Hospital, Colombo, the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital, the Jaffna Teaching Hospital and the Kandy Teaching Hospital. HDUs are needed to upgrade a patient from normal care or as a step down from intensive care, helping release beds in the intensive care units. These units are used for post-surgery care, before transferring patients to the wards, or to treat an intensive disease.
Matale Hospital, one of the oldest hospitals in Sri Lanka, was established in 1847 near Fort McDowell by the British Army for its use. Today, it is the main hospital for Matale’s 530,000 (2021) residents and those in surrounding villages bordering Kandy, Kurunegala and Dambulla. The hospital admits 7,000 patients monthly, and treats about 500 patients at its clinics and provides OPD services to between 900 and 1,000 patients per day.
Adjudged Sri Lanka’s ‘Brand of the Year’ and ‘Service Brand of the Year’ by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) and ‘Best Life Insurer in Sri Lanka’ by World Finance for the ninth consecutive year in 2022, Ceylinco Life was conferred the ‘Peoples Life Insurance Service Provider of the Year’ title at 2023 SLIM Kantar Peoples Awards for the 17th consecutive year, and was recently named one of the 10 Most Admired Companies in Sri Lanka, the release said.
Ceylinco Life has been the country’s leading life insurer for more than half of the 35 years it has been in existence. The Company was also ranked the ‘Most Valuable Insurance Brand in Sri Lanka’ across both life and general insurance categories by Brand Finance in 2023 and certified a ‘Great Workplace’ in Sri Lanka for the third consecutive year in 2022. Ceylinco Life has close to a million lives covered by active policies and provides innovative life insurance solutions which offer protection while de-risking the goals and ambitions of the Company’s policyholders, it added.
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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