News
Indian HC extends assistance to institutions in Southern Province
Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha paid a visit to the Southern Province on 24 – 25 September 2025. On 24 September, he inaugurated a RO Water Plant in the OPD area of the District General Hospital Hambantota. The plant, donated by the Government of India, is expected to benefit around 1000 people daily, including patients, visitors and hospital staff. Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Hambantota were present on the occasion.
On 25 September, the High Commissioner visited Sri Vijayarama Purana Viharaya in Ambalangoda, Galle district, a temple that houses wooden artifacts of exceptional craftsmanship and ancient artistry. High Commissioner extended financial assistance for completion of works at the temple premises to install 80 wooden statues of Lord Buddha.
The High Commissioner also inaugurated an Ayurveda camp on the premises of the temple, organized by the Consulate General of India in Hambantota jointly with the Southern Provincial Council. The camp closely coincided with the celebrations of 10th Ayurveda Day by the Government of India, and benefitted hundreds of local people through free check-ups, consultations and medicines.
Paying homage to the shared heritage of Buddhism, the High Commissioner also offered prayers at Wewrukannala Buduraja Maha Viharaya in Dikwella and Paravi Duwa Temple in Matara.
The visit was part of the wider outreach of the High Commission of India in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. Earlier in the month, the Deputy High Commissioner of India, Dr. Satyanjal Pandey visited the province and interacted with the Governor and Members of Parliament from the province and Vice-Chancellor of University of Ruhuna, among others.
Notable past and ongoing examples of India’s development assistance initiatives in the province include construction of a 1500-capacity Rabindranath Tagore Auditorium at Ruhuna University, establishment of smart classrooms and equipped computer labs in 200 schools, two different ‘Gram Shakthi’ housing projects covering over 1000 beneficiaries, among others.
The book “Rathuwewi Mihimadala”, written based on the life story of Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Leader of the Democratic Left Front, was launched on Friday [August 28] at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.
Speaking to the media afterwards about Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:
“Vasudeva Nanayakkara is a prominent figure in Sri Lankan politics, particularly within the left-wing political movement. There were several influential figures within the left movement, and that left-wing influence also contributed to bringing the country to where it is today. Politically, there were areas where we agreed and areas where we did not. However, I have great respect for the contribution made by Vasudeva Nanayakkara to left-wing politics. When I entered Parliament in 2020, Vasudeva Nanayakkara was also in Parliament. We sat in the same row, and we spoke about many important as well as interesting moments in his political career. I believe some of these experiences have also been included in this book.”
The event was attended by members of the Maha Sangha, Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara, former President Maithripala Sirisena, former Speakers Karu Jayasuriya and Chamal Rajapaksa, as well as party members, family members and friends.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Latest News
Sun directly overhead Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon today (30)
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.
The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (30) are Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and
Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon.
(AFP) Sri Lanka’s maritime authorities were monitoring a fleet of 11 US-sanctioned Iranian oil tankers just off the island’s southern coast, the foreign minister said Wednesday.
The tankers were spotted close to the Galle harbour where an Iranian frigate, IRIS Dena, was sunk by a US submarine in March, killing 104 sailors. Sri Lanka’s navy rescued 32 Iranian sailors from that frigate.
Iranian vessels have been in limbo, unable to return to their home port because of a US blockade.
Sri Lanka’s Foreign minister Vijitha Herath said the tankers were in international waters where they had freedom of navigation.
“These ships are away from our territorial waters… we have no hold on them, nor have we facilitated them,” Herath told AFP.
The military deployed reconnaissance aircraft and patrol boats to monitor the vessels outside Sri Lanka’s 12-nautical-mile territorial waters, a military official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“There is no indication of any ship-to-ship transfer of oil or illegal discharge of pollutants, so there is no basis for Sri Lankan authorities to take action against them,” the official said.
Many Iranian merchant vessels moved east towards the Strait of Malacca and Singapore due to US sanctions, while several remained near Sri Lankan waters, authorities said.
Sri Lankan officials said Washington had not formally notified Colombo about sanctioned Iranian-flagged vessels
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