A discussion regarding the “Buddha Rashmi Vesak Festival”, organized jointly by the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple and the Prime Minister’s Office, was held on Wednesday [March 12] at the Prime Minister’s Office under the patronage of Secretary to Prime Minister  Pradeep Saputhanthri.

The “Buddha Rashmi Vesak Festival 2025” is scheduled to be held from May 13 onwards in the vicinity of the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple, the Temple Trees official residence, Perahera Mawatha, and the Beira Lake area.

The event will be featured by the exhibitions of Vesak decorations, Vesak pandals, and lanterns organized by the Tri-Forces, school students, university undergraduates, government institutions, and Prison inmates. Additionally, in line with the Buddha Rashmi Vesak Festival, special attention is drawn to conduct religious programme in government schools and state institutions.

The occasion was honored by the presence of the Chief Incumbent of Gangaramaya Temple, Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thero, and Dr. Pallegama Ratanasara Thero.

The discussion was attended by Secretary to Ministry of Defense H.S.S. Thuiyakottah, Secretary to the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs W.P. Senadheera, Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo, along with heads of security forces and officials of government institutions.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

It has been reported that the former Superintendent of the Boossa Prison  S Dhammika has been shot dead by an unidentified gunman in Akmeemana.

The Search and Rescue Communication Exercise (SARCOMEX-25) was successfully conducted on 11 Mar 25 between the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Chennai, India, and MRCC Colombo, Sri Lanka. The exercise aimed to further strengthen regional search and rescue (SAR) services and enhance coordination during maritime emergencies.

The exercise simulated two challenging maritime scenarios; a flooding emergency on board and a man overboard situation within the Sri Lankan and Indian Search and Rescue Regions.

These scenarios were designed to evaluate real-time communication, inter-agency cooperation, and the operational efficiency of both MRCCs.

The exercise provided a valuable platform to identify gaps in SAR plans and improve overall response mechanisms of both MRCCs.