Features
Exploring the Canvas and Life of Gamini Ratnavira
Among the many Sri Lankan artists who carried the spirit of the island into the wider world, Gamini Ratnavira occupies a singular place. A master wildlife artist whose career now spans more than half a century, he has painted, sketched, sculpted and preserved nature through every possible medium—oil, acrylic, gouache, watercolour, and bronze. His works are both art and testament, capturing the sacred symmetry of life as seen through the eyes of one who has never ceased to marvel at it.
From the outset, Ratnavira’s art was not simply about animals or landscapes; it was about relationship—the living bond between species, and between man and the world he inhabits. Each brushstroke reveals a Buddhist reverence for coexistence rather than conquest. His canvases shimmer with birds, beasts, and flora arranged in subtle harmony, as though the artist had momentarily lifted the veil on a universe at peace with itself.
The earliest artists who painted the fauna of Sri Lanka were Cornelius de Bevere born in Ceylon during the Dutch period and was well known for his work on the natural history of the country under the patronage of the famed naturalist Dutch Governor Gideon Loten. A century and a half later, others such as Dutch Johannes Gerardus Keulemans (who illustrated birds in the seminal work on Birds of Ceylon by Australian Col. Vincent Legge, Anglo-French Hippolyte Silvaf, Brits such G. M. Henry, W. W. A. Philips and local born Frederick Kelaart and Cicely Gwynne Lushington, have contributed in their own way in painting and documenting on the avifauna of Sri Lanka. The Irish Andrew Nicholl, who was the illustrator for the works of Sir James Emerson Tennent is another brilliant artist whose works on the natural history of Ceylon are of important study. Almost all of these individuals depict their avifauna in a more westernized, colonial style. In such a milieu, what Ratnavira offers today, in his own unique style of appeasing nature as it is and the co-existence between man, is both refreshing and worthwhile. It this feature, that I want to stress on, most profoundly.
Early Life and Awakening to Nature
Born in the lush tropics of Sri Lanka, Ratnavira’s earliest teachers were not academics or art master’s but the rainforest itself. He was a boy who observed rather than spoke—sketching the play of light on leaves, tracing the curve of an elephant’s ear, and watching the glisten of raindrops held in the heart of a lotus. His father, Sardha Ratnavira, was a jeweller by profession—a calling deeply embedded in their family name, which translates to “Hero of Gems.” Yet it was clear that Gamini’s gems would not be stones, but moments of life immortalised in paint.
As a child, he raised a baby elephant named Maya and shared his home with a leopard and a macaw. These encounters were not mere novelty; they shaped his soul. The Buddhist philosophy that infused his upbringing taught him that to live was to revere all sentient beings. “Nature became my teacher,” he would later write, “and the forest my classroom.” His artistry, then, was an act of faith—a continuation of that early harmony between man and animal, spirit and soil.
By the age of nineteen, he had already decided that art would be his life’s path. Self-taught and undeterred, he began painting the wildlife he so loved, turning his devotion into discipline. Half a century later, when I inquired Gamini, he humbly replied: “I am still learning”.
Recognition in Sri Lanka
Ratnavira’s ascent as a professional artist came at a time when Sri Lanka was discovering a new cultural identity after independence. His first major exhibition in 1979 drew the attention of President J. R. Jayewardene, who not only attended the opening but personally blessed it. Over 150 paintings were sold—an astonishing achievement for a debutant.
Jayewardene, himself a man of refined aesthetic sensibilities, saw in Ratnavira the embodiment of a new Sri Lankan artistry rooted in tradition yet expansive in its vision. He became a patron and a friend, appointing Ratnavira as Chief Advisor on Wildlife and Conservation for the Department of Wildlife. The artist went on to design the department’s official logo, still in use today.
During this period, Ratnavira also collaborated with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on the celebrated Let Them Live elephant-conservation campaign under the auspices of the World Wildlife Fund. For Sri Lanka’s Philatelic Bureau, he designed thirty-eight postage stamps, including the iconic series of sea-mammal stamps that inaugurated the country’s marine-conservation programme in the Indian Ocean. These were not mere postage tokens; they were national emblems of compassion and ecological awareness.
His connection with the Smithsonian Institution and the Natural History Museum of Sri Lanka as a field technician further deepened his understanding of the country’s flora and fauna. This experience translated into a series of field guides and illustrated volumes—Birds of Sri Lanka, Mammals of Sri Lanka, and later Brushes with Nature, his autobiography. Each work intertwined science with sentiment, detail with devotion.
Over the years, Gamini Ratnavira has not only painted the beauty of the natural world but also documented it in a remarkable body of illustrated books that stand as milestones in Sri Lankan wildlife art. Among his most acclaimed works is A Field Companion to the Mammals of Sri Lanka by Asoka Yapa and Ratnavira — a vital reference that combines scientific accuracy with the warmth of field artistry. Together with his wife, Lisa, he produced Hummingbirds: A Celebration of Their Beauty Through Art, a breathtaking volume that portrays all 365 known species of hummingbirds. Recently, Ratnavira completed the detailed illustrations for the upcoming publication “Fresh Water Fish of Sri Lanka,” in collaboration with the Wildlife
Conservation Society of Galle, furthering his lifelong mission to preserve the island’s natural heritage through art. At present, he is embarking on a revised edition of “Birds of Sri Lanka” with Dr. Sarath Kotagama, a project that will mark the 50th Anniversary of the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka — a fitting tribute to five decades of dedication to avian study and artistic excellence.
War and Departure
The civil conflict that engulfed Sri Lanka in the early 1980s forced many artists and intellectuals to seek safety abroad. Ratnavira was invited by both the American and Australian ambassadors to continue his work overseas. Choosing the United States, he left his homeland in 1986, not as an exile but as an emissary of its natural beauty.
Before leaving, he completed one of his most monumental commissions—a nine-foot mural of ring-neck parakeets for the Bandaranaike International Airport, valued at a price much higher than the total sum of money Ratnavira “earned in his art career”. He also painted more than 150 canvases for Habarana Lodge (now Cinnamon Lodge), works that remain significant components of Sri Lanka’s modern-art collections and are now on display at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka.
A New Chapter in America
Settling in California, Ratnavira opened the Hidden Forest Art Gallery and began exhibiting at premier wildlife-art shows—the Pacific Rim Art Expo in Seattle, Easton’s Waterfowl Festival in Maryland, Charleston’s Southeastern Wildlife Expo, and the famed Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum’s Birds in Art exhibition. His works found their way to the grand stages of Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Bonhams auctions.
His reputation grew rapidly. Collectors included museums, ornithologists, and statesmen. The San Diego Natural History Museum commissioned forty-three paintings depicting the endangered species of its region. The Rare Bird Club of the United Kingdom and the late Dr. James Clements, author of Checklist of the Birds of the World, became among his foremost patrons.
In 2005, his life-size bronze sculpture Jewel of the Emerald Forest—a hyacinth macaw rendered with exquisite precision—was installed in the National Geographic Society’s Sculpture Garden in Washington D.C. The same year, he was honoured as the Sri Lankan American of the Year by the Sri Lankan Consulate in Los Angeles for his artistic achievements and contributions to conservation.
Faith, Philosophy, and Technique
Though geographically distant from his birthplace, Ratnavira never severed the spiritual tether that bound him to it. His Buddhist heritage continued to inform his world-view. He often said that painting was a form of meditation, a way of honouring the cycles of life and death. His canvases teem with symbiosis—flowers blooming beside butterflies that pollinate them, predators shown not as killers but as participants in nature’s balance.
Technically, his method is meticulous. Beginning with sketches from his field journals and photographs, he paints directly with his brushes, working from dark to light, layer upon translucent layer. Sun-edged leaves, insect bites on petals, or the litter of the forest floor—all appear rendered with uncanny realism yet imbued with poetic tenderness. His compositions are never mere studies of wildlife; they are windows into living ecosystems, microcosms of harmony that echo the Buddhist doctrine of interdependence.
When asked what keeps him painting after so many decades, he replies with simplicity: “Gratitude.” For Ratnavira, art is thanksgiving—to the earth, to the animals, to life itself.
The Partnership of Life and Art
In the United States, fate introduced him to Lisa Ratnavira, a volunteer working on an elephant-conservation project. Their shared love for animals blossomed into a partnership of both life and art. Lisa became his Gallery Director, poetic collaborator, and muse. Together they produced books such as Travelling with Pen and Brush and Grief’s Labyrinth and Other Poems, where her verses find visual echo in his illustrations.
For over twenty-five years, the couple have travelled, exhibited, and taught together, balancing professional success with a profound commitment to conservation. Their union, grounded in compassion, has become emblematic of the life they champion through art—the unity between human affection and the natural world.
Conservation and the Natalie Ratnavira Education Center
Tragedy entered the Ratnavira family with the loss of their daughter Natalie Ann Ratnavira in 2012 to a sudden brain aneurysm. A promising wildlife-conservation student at the University of Nevada, Reno, Natalie embodied her father’s ethos of loving nature deeply. To honour her memory, the family established the Natalie Ratnavira Education and Nature Center in Galle, Sri Lanka, built in partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society of Galle.
The centre serves as a sanctuary for artists, scientists, and naturalists—providing a space to study, create, and protect Sri Lanka’s unique ecosystems. Each of Ratnavira’s paintings now bears a small dragonfly near his signature, a delicate symbol of Natalie’s spirit. The recently discovered freshwater fish Devario sp. nataliei was named in her honour, immortalising her love for wildlife in scientific taxonomy as well as memory.
Global Advocacy and Exhibitions
Ratnavira’s art has long been inseparable from activism. Through exhibitions such as Vanishing Wildlife of Texas, collaborations with the Hummingbird Society, Parrots International, Tapirs of the World, and fundraising efforts for disaster-relief causes, he has channelled art into tangible good. His 42-foot African mural at Safari West, California, remains one of the largest privately commissioned wildlife paintings in America, a panorama of biodiversity and balance.
In 1993 he founded the Reflections of Nature Wildlife Art Show in Fallbrook, California—a platform that ran for nearly three decades, nurturing young artists and promoting conservation through creativity. His works continue to feature in international exhibitions curated by institutions such as David J. Wagner, L.L.C. Notably, the 2021 travelling exhibition Animal Groups showcased his depictions of Indian-Ocean fauna, reaffirming his relevance in the global wildlife-art community even after fifty years of painting.
Legacy and Influence
Today, Ratnavira’s paintings hang in museums, universities, and private collections across continents. Yet his true legacy lies not merely in the art itself but in the attitude, it embodies: the belief that beauty is inseparable from responsibility. In Sri Lanka, where deforestation and species loss continue to threaten biodiversity, Ratnavira’s name evokes both nostalgia and challenge—a reminder of what the island once was and what it might yet preserve. His early field guides remain reference works for students and researchers; his stamps and logos endure as visual symbols of national pride.
For the diaspora, he is a bridge between past and present, homeland and adopted land. To the global art community, he stands as proof that talent, guided by sincerity and service, transcends geography.
When honoured as Sri Lankan American of the Year, he remarked, “A road is not built for one to travel upon.” That phrase encapsulates his life philosophy. Every painting, every conservation project, every teaching effort is an invitation for others to walk beside him—to see the world not as resource, but as kin.
Conclusion: The Eternal Flight
In tracing the life of Gamini Ratnavira, one follows the flight of a bird—rising from the green canopy of Sri Lanka, crossing oceans, and circling the world, yet always returning to the same inner forest of wonder. His career stands at the confluence of art, faith, and environmental consciousness. Few have so deftly united these domains, fewer still have done so with such humility.
Through his eyes, we are reminded that beauty and duty are inseparable; that to paint a creature is to acknowledge its right to exist. His canvases are not merely portraits of wildlife—they are acts of preservation, safeguarding in colour what the world risks losing in reality.
Half a century after his first exhibition blessed by President Jayewardene, Ratnavira continues to create with the same quiet reverence that guided his nineteen-year-old self beneath the forest canopy. The boy who once watched raindrops gather on an elephant-ear leaf has grown into an artist who gathers worlds upon his canvas.
As he himself says, “I approach each painting with gratitude for the life I have been allowed to live.” That gratitude, luminous and enduring, is his truest masterpiece.
By Avishka Mario Senewiratne ✍️
On 17 February, the Indian Navy posted a cheerful message on X.
“Welcome!” it wrote, greeting the Iranian warship Iris Dena as it steamed into the port of Visakhapatnam to join an international naval gathering.
Photographs showed sailors in crisp whites and a grey frigate gliding in the sea harbour on a clear day. The hashtags spoke of “Bridges of Friendship” and “United Through Oceans”.
Two weeks later the ship, carrying 130 sailors, lay at the bottom of the Indian Ocean. It had been torpedoed by a US submarine off Sri Lanka’s southern coast on 4 March.
Commissioned in 2021, the Dena was a relatively new vessel – a Moudge-class frigate of Iran’s Southern Fleet, which patrols the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.
According to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, the vessel “thought it was safe in international waters” but instead “died a quiet death”. Rescue teams from Sri Lanka have recovered at least 87 bodies. Only 32 sailors survived.
The sinking marks a dramatic widening of the war between America, Israel and Iran. And, though it occurred in international waters of the Indian Ocean and outside India’s jurisdiction, it is an awkward moment for Delhi.
“The war has come to our doorsteps. That is not a good thing,” says retired Vice Admiral Arun Kumar Singh.
For some strategists, the episode carries broader implications for India’s regional standing.
Indian strategic affairs expert Brahma Chellaney wrote on X that the US torpedoing of the Iranian warship in India’s “maritime neighbourhood” was “more than a battlefield episode” – calling it a “strategic embarrassment” for Delhi.
“By sinking a vessel returning from an Indian-hosted multilateral exercise, Washington effectively turned India’s maritime neighbourhood into a war zone, raising uncomfortable questions about India’s authority in its own backyard,” Chellaney wrote.
Just days before its destruction, the Dena had been a diplomatic guest of the Indian Navy.
The ship had travelled to Visakhapatnam, a sun-washed port city on India’s east coast, to participate in the International Fleet Review 2026 and Exercise Milan, a large multilateral naval exercise meant to showcase India’s growing maritime leadership.
Seventy-four countries and 18 warships took part in the events, which Delhi described as a demonstration of its ambition to become the Indian Ocean’s “preferedsecurity partner”.
Visiting ships at such multilateral exercises usually do not carry a full combat load of live munitions, unless scheduled for a live-fire drill, according to Chellaney. Even during the sea phase, when drills and live firing take place, ships carry only tightly controlled ammunition limited to the specific exercises.
Singh, an invitee to the event, recalls seeing the warship and its Iranian sailors in Visakhapatnam just days before its fate changed.
“I saw the boys marching in front of me,” he says of the Iranian naval contingent during the parade along the seafront, just 10m away. “All young people. I feel very sad.”
He says on 21 February, the assembled ships – including the Iranian vessel – sailed out for the sea phase of Exercise Milan, scheduled to run until 25 February.
“What happened next is less clear: the ship may have returned to port or peeled away after exercises. Either way, the waters where it was later sunk – off Galle in Sri Lanka – lie only two to three days’ sailing from India’s east coast,” Singh says. What the ship was doing in the 10-12 days in between is not clear.
Singh, who has commanded submarines, believes the sequence leading up to the attack was probably straightforward.
The US, he notes, tracks vessels across the world’s oceans. “They would have known exactly when the ship left and where it was heading,” he says. A fourth of America’s submarine fleet of 65-70 is at sea at any given time, according to analysts.
According to the Indian Navy, the Iranian warship had been operating about 20 nautical miles west of Galle – roughly 23 miles (37km) – in waters that fall under Sri Lanka’s designated search-and-rescue zone.
The attack, Singh says, appears to have involved a single Mark-48 torpedo, a heavyweight weapon carrying about 650 pounds of high explosive, capable of snapping a ship in two. Video footage suggests the submarine may have fired from 3-4km away, around 05:30 local time.
The aftermath was grim and swift.
The warship reportedly sank within two to three minutes, leaving little time for rescue. “It’s a miracle they managed to send an SOS,” Singh says, which was picked up by the Sri Lanka Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Colombo.
According to the Indian Navy, a distress call from the Iranian warship was picked up by Colombo in the early hours of 4 March, triggering a regional search-and-rescue effort.
The navy said in a statement that Sri Lanka’s navy began rescue operations first, while India moved to assist later.
The Indian Navy deployed a long-range maritime patrol aircraft to support the search and kept another aircraft with air-droppable life rafts on standby.
A naval vessel already operating nearby reached the area by late afternoon. Another ship, which sailed from the southern Indian port city of Kochi to join the effort, continues to comb the waters for survivors and debris.
Under the Second Geneva Convention, countries at war are required to take “all possible measures” to rescue wounded or shipwrecked sailors after a naval attack. In practice, however, this duty applies only if a rescue can be attempted without putting the attacking vessel in serious danger.
Singh says submarines are rarely able to help.
“Submarines don’t surface,” he says. “If you surface and give up your position, someone else can sink you.”
Singh suspects the speed of the sinking – and possibly sparse shipping in the area at the time – meant few nearby vessels could respond. “A ship breaking up that fast leaves almost no chance,” he says.
In a shooting war, Singh says, the legal position is blunt.
Fighting between the United States and Iran had been under way since 28 February, with claims that 17 Iranian naval vessels had already been destroyed.
“When a shooting war is on, any ship of a belligerent country becomes fair game,” he says.
Many questions remain. Why was the Iranian warship still in waters near Sri Lanka nearly two weeks after leaving India’s naval exercise? Was it heading home, or on another mission? And how long had the US submarine been tracking it before firing?
For Delhi, the episode is diplomatically awkward.
India has drawn closer to Washington on defence while maintaining long-standing political and economic ties with Tehran – a balancing act the war has made harder.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called broadly for “dialogue and diplomacy” to resolve conflicts, but has neither addressed the sinking of the Iranian vessel directly nor criticised the American strike.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the attack as “an atrocity at sea” and stressed that the frigate had been “a guest of India’s Navy”. Meanwhile Sri Lanka has taken control of another Iranian naval vessel off its coast after an engine failure forced it to seek port, a day after the US attack.
The episode has nonetheless sparked debate within India’s strategic community.
Kanwal Sibal, a veteran diplomat, argued that India’s responsibility may not be legal, but it is moral.
“The Iranian ship would not have been where it was had India not invited it to the Milan exercise,” he wrote on X. “A word of condolence at the loss of lives of those who were our invitees would be in order.”
Others like Chellaney have framed the issue in more strategic terms.
He described the strike as a blow to India’s maritime diplomacy. The torpedoing of the frigate in “India’s maritime backyard”, he argued, punctured Delhi’s carefully cultivated image as a “preferred security partner” in the Indian Ocean.
“In one torpedo strike, American hard power has punctured India’s carefully cultivated soft power,” says Chellaney.
As the debate gathered pace in strategic circles, India’s official response remained cautious.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on X that he had held a telephone conversation with Araghchi, and also posted a photograph of a meeting with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh at a foreign policy summit in Delhi.
For military historian Srinath Raghavan, the legal position is clear: once the Iranian vessel left India’s shores, Delhi had no formal responsibility.
The strategic message, however, is harder to ignore.
“First, the spreading geography of this war. Second, India’s limited ability to manage its fallout,” says Raghavan.
“Indeed, the US Navy has fired a shot across the bow aimed at all regional players, including India.”
[BBC]
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others” ––George Orwell, Animal Farm
When I wrote in this column an essay on 4th February 2026 titled, the ‘Beginning of Another ‘White Supremacist’ World Order?’, my focus was on the hypocrisy of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Davos address on 20 January 2026 to the World Economic Forum. It was embraced like the gospel by liberal types and the naïve international relations ‘experts’ in our country and elsewhere. My suspicion of Carney’s words stemmed from the consistent role played by countries like Canada and others which he called ‘middle powers’ or ‘intermediate powers’ in the world order he critiqued in Davos. He wanted such countries, particularly Canada, “to live the truth?” which meant “naming reality” as it exists; “acting consistently” towards all in the world; “applying the same standards to allies and rivals” and “building what we claim to believe in, rather than waiting for the old order to be restored.” These are some memorable pieces of Carney’s mantra.
Yet unsurprisingly, it only took the Trump-Netanyahu illegal war against Iran to prove the hollowness in Carney’s words. If he placed any premium on his own words, he should have at least voiced his concern against the continuing atrocities in the Middle East unilaterally initiated by the US and Israel. But his concern is only about Iran’s seemingly indiscriminate attacks across the region targeting US and Israeli installations and even civilian locations in countries allied with the Us-Israel coalition.
Issuing a statement on 3 March 2026 from Sydney he noted, “Canada has long seen Iran as the principal source of instability and terror in the Middle East” and “despite more than two decades of negotiations and diplomatic efforts, Iran has not dismantled its nuclear programme, nor halted its enrichment activities.” A sensible observer would note how the same statement would also apply to Israel. In fact, Israel has been the bigger force of instability in the Middle East surpassing Iran. After all, it has exiled an entire population of people — the Palestinians — from their country to absolute statelessness has not halted its genocide of the same people unfortunate enough to find themselves in Gaza after their homeland was taken over to create Israel in 1948 and their properties to build illegal Jewish settlements in more recent times. And then there is the matter of nuclear weapons. Israel has never been hounded to stop its nuclear programme unlike Iran. There is, in the world order Carney criticixed and the one in his fantasy, a fundamental difference between a ‘Jewish bomb’ and a ‘Muslim bomb’ in the ‘clash of civilisations’ as imagined by Samuel P. Huntington and put into practice by the likes of Messers Trump, Netanyahu, and Carney. That is, the Jewish bomb is legitimate, and the Muslim one is not, which to me evokes the commandments in the dystopian novella Animal Farm.
But Carney, in his new rhetoric closely echoing those of the leaders of Germany, UK and France, did not completely forget his Davos words too. He noted, in the same statement, “we take this position with regret, because the current conflict is another example of the failure of the international order.” But in reality, it is not the failure of the current international order, but its reinforcement by the likes of Mr Carney, reiterating why it will not change.
Coming back to the US-Israel attack on Iran, anyone even remotely versatile in the craft of warfare should have known, sooner or later, the rapidly expanding theatre of devastation in the Middle East was likely to happen for two obvious reasons. One, Iran had warned of this outcome if attacked as it considered those countries hosting US and Israeli bases or facilities as enemies. This is military common sense. Two, this was also likely because it is the only option available for a country under attack when faced with superior technology, firepower and the silence of much of the world. I cannot but feel deep shame about the lukewarm and generic statements urging restraint issued by our political leaders notwithstanding the support of Iran to our country in many times of difficulty at the hands of this very same world order.
When I say this, I am not naïvely embracing Iran as a shining example of democracy. I am cognizant of the Iranian regime’s maltreatment of some of its own citizens, stifling of dissent within the country and its proxy support for armed groups in the region. But in real terms, this is no different from similar actions of Israel and the US. The difference is, the actions of these countries, particularly of the US, have been far more devastating for the world than anything Iran has done or could do. US’s misadventures in Vietnam, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan come to mind — to take only a handful of examples.
But it is no longer about Carney and the hollowness of his liberal verbal diarrhoea in Davos. What is of concern now is twofold. One is the unravelling fiction of what he called the ‘new world order’ in which he located countries like Canada at the helm. And the second is the reality of continuing to live in the same old world order where countries like Canada and other middle and intermediate powers will continue to do the bidding of powerful aggressors like the US and Israel as they have done since the 20th century.
Yet, one must certainly thank Trump and Mr Natenyahu for one thing. That is, they have effectively exposed the myth of what used to be euphemistically called the ‘western civilisation.’ Despite its euphemism, the notion and its reality were omnipresent and omnipotent, because of the devastating long term and lingering consequences of its tools of operation, which were initially colonialism and later postcolonial and neocolonial forms of control to which all of us continue to be subjected.
One thing that was clearly lacking in the long and devastating history of the ‘western civilisation’ in so far as it affected the lives of people like us is its lack of ‘civilisation’ and civility at all times. Therefore, Trump and Mr Netanyahu must be credited for exposing this reality in no uncertain terms.
But what does illegal and unprovoked military action and the absence so far of accountability mean in real terms? It simply means that rules no longer matter. If Israel and the US can bomb and murder heads of state of a sovereign country, its citizens including children, cause massive destruction claiming a non-existent imminent threat violating both domestic and international law, it opens a wide playing field for the powerful and the greedy. Hypothetically, in this free-for-all, China can invade India through Arunachal Pradesh and occupy that Indian state which it calls Zangnan simply because it has been claiming the territory of itself for a very long time and also simply because it can. India can invade and occupy Sri Lanka, if it so wishes because this can so easily be done and also because it is part of the extended neighbourhood of the Ramayana and India’s ‘Akhand Bharat’ political logic. Sri Lanka can perhaps invade and occupy the Maldives if it wants a free and perennial supply of Maldive Fish. Incidentally, the Sri Lankan Tamil guerrilla group, People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam nearly succeeded in doing so 1988.
Sarcasm aside, even more dangerous is the very real possibility of this situation opening the doors for small, violent and mobile militant groups to target citizens of these aggressor countries and their allies as we saw in the late 1960s and 1970s. This will occur because in this kind of situation, many people would likely believe this form of asymmetric warfare is the only avenue of resistance open to them. It is precisely under similar conditions that the many Palestinian armed factions and Lebanese militia groups emerged in the first place. If this happens, the victims will not be the fathers and the vociferous supporters of the present aggression but all of us including those who had nothing to do with the atrocities or even opposed it in their weak and inaudible voices.
If I may go back to Carney’s Davos words, what would “to live the truth?”, “naming reality”, “acting consistently” and “applying the same standards to allies and rivals” mean in the emerging situation in the Middle East? Would this kind of hypocrisy, hyperbole, choreographed silence and selective accusations only end if a US invasion of Greenland, an integral part of the ‘White Supremacist’ World Order’ takes place? By then, however, all of us would have been well-trained in the art of feeling numb. By that time, we too would have forgotten yet another important line in Animal Farm: “No animal shall kill any other animal without cause.”
Sexual education is a vital component of holistic education, contributing to physical health, emotional well-being, gender equality, and social responsibility. Despite its importance, sexual education remains a sensitive and often controversial subject in many societies, particularly in culturally conservative contexts. In Sri Lanka, discussions around sexuality are frequently avoided in formal and informal settings, leaving young people to rely on peers, social media, or misinformation. This silence creates serious social, health, and psychological consequences. By examining the Sri Lankan context alongside international examples, the importance of comprehensive and age-appropriate sexual education becomes clear.
Understanding Sexual Education
Sexual education goes beyond biological explanations of reproduction. Comprehensive sexual education includes knowledge about human anatomy, puberty, consent, relationships, emotional health, gender identity, sexual orientation, reproductive rights, contraception, prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and personal safety. Importantly, it also promotes values such as respect, responsibility, dignity, and mutual understanding. When delivered appropriately, sexual education empowers individuals to make informed decisions rather than encouraging early or risky sexual behavior.
The Sri Lankan Context: Silence and Its Consequences
In Sri Lanka, sexual education is included in school curricula mainly through subjects such as Health Science and Life Competencies, however the content is often limited and taught with hesitation. Many teachers feel uncomfortable discussing sexual topics openly due to cultural norms, religious sensitivities, and fear of parental backlash. As a result, lessons are rushed, skipped, or delivered in a purely biological manner without addressing emotional, social, or ethical dimensions.
This lack of open education has led to several social challenges. Teenage pregnancies, although less visible, remain a significant issue, particularly in rural and estate sectors. Young girls who become pregnant often face school dropouts, social stigma, and limited future opportunities. Many of these pregnancies occur due to lack of knowledge about contraception, consent, and bodily autonomy.
Another serious concern in Sri Lanka is child sexual abuse. Numerous reports indicate that many children do not recognize abusive behaviour or lack the confidence and language to report it. Proper sexual education, especially lessons on body boundaries and consent, can help children identify inappropriate behavior and seek help early. In the Sri Lankan context, where respect for elders often discourages questioning authority, this knowledge is especially crucial.
Furthermore, misinformation about menstruation, nocturnal emissions, and bodily changes during puberty causes anxiety and shame among adolescents. Many Sri Lankan girls experience menarche without prior knowledge, leading to fear and confusion. Similarly, boys often receive no guidance about emotional or physical changes, reinforcing unhealthy notions of masculinity and silence around mental health.
Cultural Resistance and Misconceptions
Opposition to sexual education in Sri Lanka often stems from the belief that it promotes immoral behaviour or encourages premarital sex. However, international research consistently shows the opposite: young people who receive comprehensive sexual education tend to delay sexual initiation and engage in safer behaviours. The resistance is therefore rooted more in cultural fear than empirical evidence.
Religious and cultural values are important, but they need not conflict with sexual education. In fact, sexual education can be framed within moral discussions about responsibility, respect, family values, and care for others principles shared across Sri Lanka’s major religious traditions. Ignoring sexuality does not protect cultural values; rather, it leaves young people vulnerable.
International Evidence: Lessons from Other Countries
Several countries demonstrate how effective sexual education contributes to positive social outcomes.
In the Netherlands, sexual education begins at an early age and is age-appropriate, focusing on respect, relationships, and communication rather than explicit sexual activity. As a result, the Netherlands has one of the lowest rates of teenage pregnancy and STIs in the world. Young people are encouraged to discuss feelings, boundaries, and consent openly, both in schools and at home.
Similarly, Sweden introduced compulsory sexual education as early as the 1950s. Swedish programs emphasise gender equality, reproductive rights, and sexual health. This long-term commitment has contributed to high levels of sexual health awareness, low maternal mortality among young mothers, and strong societal acceptance of gender diversity. Sexual education in Sweden is also closely linked to public health services, ensuring access to counseling and contraception.
In many developing contexts, international organisations have supported sexual education as a tool for social development. UNESCO promotes Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) globally, emphasising that it equips young people with knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that enable them to protect their health and dignity. Studies supported by UNESCO show that CSE reduces risky behaviours, improves academic outcomes, and supports gender equality.
In countries such as Rwanda and South Africa, sexual education has been integrated with HIV/AIDS prevention programs. These initiatives demonstrate that sexual education is not a luxury of developed nations but a necessity for public health and social stability.
Comparing Sri Lanka with International Models
When compared with international examples, Sri Lanka’s challenges are not due to lack of capacity but lack of open dialogue and political will. Sri Lanka has a strong education system, high literacy rates, and an extensive public health network. These strengths provide an excellent foundation for implementing comprehensive sexual education that is culturally sensitive yet scientifically accurate.
Unlike the Netherlands or Sweden, Sri Lanka may not adopt early-age sexuality discussions in the same manner, but age-appropriate education during late primary and secondary school is both feasible and necessary. Topics such as puberty, menstruation, consent, online safety, and respectful relationships can be introduced gradually without violating cultural norms.
Sexual Education in the Digital Era
The urgency of sexual education has increased in the digital age. Sri Lankan adolescents are exposed to sexual content through social media, films, and online platforms, often without guidance. Pornography frequently becomes a primary source of sexual knowledge, leading to unrealistic expectations, objectification, and distorted ideas about consent and relationships.
Sexual education can counter these influences by developing critical thinking, media literacy, and ethical understanding. Teaching young people how to navigate digital relationships, cyber harassment, and online exploitation is now an essential component of sexual education.
Gender Equality and Social Change
Sexual education also plays a crucial role in promoting gender equality. In Sri Lanka, traditional gender roles often limit open discussion about female sexuality while excusing male dominance. Comprehensive sexual education challenges these norms by emphasizing mutual respect, shared responsibility, and equality in relationships.
Educating boys about consent and emotional expression helps reduce gender-based violence, while educating girls about bodily autonomy strengthens empowerment. In the long term, this contributes to healthier families and more equitable social structures.
The Way Forward for Sri Lanka
For sexual education to be effective in Sri Lanka, several steps are necessary. Teachers must receive proper training to handle the subject confidently and sensitively. Parents should be engaged through awareness programs to reduce fear and misconceptions. Curriculum developers must ensure that content is age-appropriate, culturally grounded, and scientifically accurate.
Importantly, sexual education should not be treated as a one-time lesson but as a continuous process integrated into broader life skills education. Collaboration between schools, healthcare providers, religious leaders, and community organisations can help normalise discussions around sexual health while respecting cultural values.
Finally , sexual education is not merely about sex; it is about health, dignity, safety, and responsible citizenship. The Sri Lankan experience demonstrates how silence and taboo can lead to misinformation, vulnerability, and social harm. International examples from the Netherlands, Sweden, and global initiatives supported by UNESCO clearly show that comprehensive sexual education leads to positive individual and societal outcomes.
For Sri Lanka, embracing sexual education does not mean abandoning cultural values. Rather, it means equipping young people with knowledge and ethical understanding to navigate modern social realities responsibly. In an era of rapid social and technological change, sexual education is not optional it is essential for building a healthy, informed, and compassionate society.
by Milinda Mayadunna ✍️
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