Features

Citizen entitled to claim just governance from rulers

Published

4 years ago

2022/05/8

Nihal Seneviratne presenting a copy of his book to former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya. Also in the picture are Prof. Savithri Gunasekera, DEW Gunasekera and Eran Wickremarathne. Pic by Tushara Atapattu

by Savitri Goonesekere

(Speech delivered at the launch of Nihal Seneviratne’s Memories of 33 years in Parliament)

We meet this evening at the launch of a book which is the autobiography of a distinguished public servant, Mr. Nihal Seneviratne. The Sinhala translation of “public servant” is “rajaye niladhari,” or “government servant.” In this book, “Memories of 33 Years in Parliament,” Mr. Seneviratne records and shares his experience as HOLDER of high public OFFICE in our Parliament for over three decades, rather than as a “rajaye niladahari” or SERVANT of different GOVERNMENTS. So Nihal Seneviratne’s autobiography tells us that he was a “PUBLIC SERVANT,” working in an important public institution, that is one of the key pillars of governance in our country.

This is important to note, because today, government politicians elected to office by the People claim to be “in power,” and public servants in general believe that they are dis-empowered servants of politicians. This encourages politicians to abuse power and reject their responsibilities to the People when holding office. Officials then become the scapegoats for poor governance, even when politicians have abused their office, and are responsible under the law and Constitution for poor governance. This is one of the many factors that has contributed to the greatest economic and political crisis of our post-independence history. Our public institutions in governance, derived from fundamental and core values on Parliamentary Democracy, are being challenged as never before, in island wide, peaceful, street protests.

Dr Pethiyagoda in his presentation this evening has shared his perspective on these street protests. He is a distinguished scientist. I am a lawyer. I tend to see these protests very differently. They are, I think, a strident and articulate voice, reflecting disenchantment with both institutions of governance, and people who hold high public office. A collective voice of citizens, across race, religion, and class, many of them a new generation of young people, are demanding systemic and institutional changes in governance.

They want government that does not legitimize abuse of power, corruption, fiscal profligacy, and mismanagement, but is accountable to the People who placed them in high office. They are protesting the proven failures in governance of recent, especially post war decades. They are demanding profound changes to address this reality, that has been ignored by us all, for too long.

This is no time to follow the usual practice of resting on our past laurels and referring to Sri Lanka as the pride of South Asia, for its indicators in areas like access to health and education. I do agree with Dr Pethiyagoda that our experiment with democratic governance in 74 years has not always been a failure. Nihal Seneviratne’s book, launched this evening, brings to us a voice from a different past. Yet it also challenges us to recognize and address the current realities of our country, and the decline in democratic governance. Nihal Seneviratne’s book is not just an interesting personal biography. His record of memories of 33 years of work in parliament has I think, historical and practical relevance for us, in these dark times.

The book provides important reflections on how Parliament can, and should, conduct its business, as a functional rather than a dysfunctional institution, striving to deliver on the responsibilities of good governance. The author’s work also highlights a simple truth that we often ignore- that there were, there can be, and there will be Sri Lankans who hold public office with personal integrity, dignity, and commitment to fulfill the responsibilities of high office, that we as citizens and tax payers have placed upon them. Their contribution is an indispensable aspect of governance that fulfills the need for “Yahapalanaya,” that is accountable to the People.

On a personal note, I discovered from the pages of this book that I have been right to follow in the author’s mother’s footsteps, calling him Nihal. We all know that even when he held high office he carried that other name of baptism at Royal College., which linked so neatly and happily to Srima’s famous entrepreneur family. Srima is a friend from my salad days, and Nihal a former student and friend of my husband, Senior Attorney RKW Goonesekere. We were the first generation of the Kannangara “nidhahas adyapana labee.” We experienced the luxury of what Nihal describes in this book as “carefree and fulfilling years” in a stunningly beautiful campus, in an internationally renowned University of Ceylon, Peradeniya.

That residential learning environment helped us forge bonds of friendship of a lifetime, across race, religion, social class, disciplines, and age, an invaluable legacy in our diverse and plural society. Nihal’s moorings and values, a love of books and the liberal arts, mentioned in the pages of this work, gave him something more than the “soft skills” touted today, as an add on for good management, in our hyper technology focused work environment. The book captures the tact and courtesy used in handling tough politicians, and the collegiate environment Nihal tried to create in interaction with both his superiors and subordinates.

It is clear that this impacted to resolve conflicts, and created a team spirit for work within the Secretariat. The Peradeniya environment also nurtured and created a culture, linking professional and personal relationships. This saw Nihal drop in casually at our home for a conversation with his guru- my husband. And the conversation flowed easily from an erudite discussion of Standing Orders of Parliament in a controversial impeachment, to happenings in the “Loyal to Royal” boy’s club, and Peradeniya University’s Arunachalam Hall.

Nihal records in this book a comment by President JR Jayewardene when Parliament moved to its new home in Kotte. Parliament was, he said, to be a “temple of democracy where members have a responsibility to conduct themselves for the welfare of the many, including generations yet to come.” How ironical that this is exactly what citizens, including the millenial generation, are demanding today, from Members of Parliament, as their guaranteed rights. Yet Parliament, near the beautiful environs of the Diyawanna Oya, is now associated in the public mind with raucous, adversarial, senseless and rambling arguments. Rarely do we witness intelligent informed discussion and debate, on issues of urgent public concern.

Sometimes we are fortunate to have Members of Parliament like Mr Eran Wickremeratne, present with us this evening, who break the mould, and fulfill their responsibilities to us citizens, in debates on the floor of the House. Mr Karu Jayasuriya, who is also with us, responded as Speaker with wisdom, courage and dignity to the shameful incidents in Parliament during the Constitutional crisis of 2018. Nihal Seneviratne’s book records another reality, where Parliament functioned very differently. It provides us with insights on lost Parliamentary procedures and practices, and will hopefully encourage change, but with an appreciation of the need to revive positive past traditions.

I am sure that readers will appreciate the “insider” information Nihal provides on some critically important and historical events, so relevant for today. He writes of Mrs. Bandaranaike’s loss and re-acquisition of civic rights, a No Confidence Motion won by one vote, that led to the fall of her government. He writes on a failed assassination attempt, a failed impeachment motion against a President, and conflict between Parliament and senior journalists, called to account for their alleged breach of Parliamentary privilege.

Nihal provides insights on how the Speaker, he and his staff responded, focusing constantly on understanding and implementing Parliament’s rules and procedures, so as to give clarity and coherence to decision making. Being faulted for not doing so, and being called to account, was considered part of the responsibilities of office, and adherence to a system put in place, to ensure respect for the Rule of Law. Some of the events described were connected to litigation in the Supreme Court. My husband appeared for Lalith Athulathmudali in the case in which he challenged expulsion from his party, and loss of his seat in Parliament. We know how jurisprudence in the courts has shaped the response to the now infamous cross overs by Parliamentarians.

The book has profiles of public figures, perhaps lost to a new generation. They are chosen selectively, in recording memories of Nihal’s personal interaction with them. Some of the “greats” featured are from what an older generation we knew as the “old left,” that inspired in particular young citizens. These persons were very different from those parliamentarians of the “pseudo old left” of later decades. Nihal profiles briefly NM Perera Dr. Covin R de Silva, Dr. SA Wickremesnghe and Sarath Muttetuwegama. Also some politicians of the liberal right– Lalith Athulathmudali. Mangala Moonesinghe, Karu Jayasuriya and Shelton Ranaraja. The wit and intellectual sharpness outside and on the floor of the House, reminds us that our Parliament was indeed a very different place.

So Nihal, thank you for overcoming your usual modesty and for being “reluctantly persuaded ” to record your experiences in three decades of a working life, within one of the most important public institutions of our country. Our Constitution concludes its text with a much loved Buddhist stanza in Pali. I sometimes wonder whether our Parliamentarians have read, understood, and reflected upon its content, though it is frequently recited at ceremonial events they attend.

This reads:

“Devo vassathu kalena

(May the rains fall in season)

Sassa sampatti hothu ca

(May there be a good harvest)

Phito bhavatu loco ca

(May there be well being for all the People of the world)

Raja bhavatu dhammiko

” (May the Ruler be righteous)

This is surely as succinct a statement, of what we as citizens are entitled to claim from politicians, and those like you, Nihal who held high public office, to help achieve governance that is accountable to the People. You have recognized, in the pages of this book, that you were not given “power,” but “placed in a high “office, that brought with it duties and responsibilities . Let us hope that we can all learn from past experiences, recognize the failures of governance in this country, and introduce essential modifications and changes to rebuild our nation, from the abyss that has impacted all our lives.

If we can face that challenge, this Pearl of the Indian Ocean, Serendib, Paradise Isle, described as “a Land without Sorrow ” in antiquity, our Sri Lanka, will become a country that delivers on the promise of accountable governance, for the well-being of all our People. Perhaps we should recall at this time the words of SWRD Bandaranaike at the ceremonial opening of our first Parliament in 1948. He said:

“No People can live on memories alone. It is equally true that history often provides a source of both strength and inspiration to guide them in the future. It is only against the background of the past that the present and the future can be viewed in their correct perspective.”

Memories of 33 years in public service, in an important public institution, Parliament, like those Nihal Seneviratne has shared with us, can be a resource for analysis of current realities. It can also help us I think to “chart a new path, and leave a trail.”

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Features

More state support needed for marginalised communities

Published

14 hours ago

2026/02/13

Thilina Walpola

A landslide in the Central Province

Message from Malaiyaha Tamil community to govt:

Insights from SSA Cyclone Ditwah Survey

When climate disasters strike, they don’t affect everyone equally. Marginalised communities typically face worse outcomes, and Cyclone Ditwah is no exception. Especially in a context where normalcy is far from “normal”, the idea of returning to normalcy or restoring a life of normalcy makes very little sense.

The island-wide survey (https://ssalanka.org/reports/) conducted by the Social Scientists’ Association (SSA), between early to mid-January on Cyclone Ditwah shows stark regional disparities in how satisfied or dissatisfied people were with the government’s response. While national satisfaction levels were relatively high in most provinces, the Central Province tells a different story.

Only 35.2% of Central Province residents reported that they were satisfied with early warning and evacuation measures, compared to 52.2% nationally. The gap continues across every measure: just 52.9% were satisfied with immediate rescue and emergency response, compared with the national figure of 74.6%. Satisfaction with relief distribution in the Central Province is 51.9% while the national figure stands at 73.1%. The figures for restoration of water, electricity, and roads are at a low 45.9% in the central province compared to the 70.9% in national figures. Similarly, the satisfaction level for recovery and rebuilding support is 48.7% in the Central Province, while the national figure is 67.0%.

A deeper analysis of the SSA data on public perceptions reveals something important: these lower satisfaction rates came primarily from the Malaiyaha Tamil population. Their experience differed not just from other provinces, but also from other ethnic groups living in the Central Province itself.

The Malaiyaha Tamil community’s vulnerability didn’t start with the cyclone. Their vulnerability is a historically and structurally pre-determined process of exclusion and marginalisation. Brought to Sri Lanka during British rule to work for the empire’s plantation economies, they have faced long-term economic exploitation and have repeatedly been denied access to state support and social welfare systems. Most estate residents still live in ‘line rooms’ and have no rights to the land they cultivate and live on. The community continues to be governed by an outdated estate management system that acts as a barrier to accessing public and municipal services such as road repair, water, electricity and other basic infrastructures available to other citizens.

As far as access to improved water sources is concerned, the Sri Lanka Demographic Health Survey (2016) shows that 57% of estate sector households don’t have access to improved water sources, while more than 90% of households in urban and rural areas do. With regard to the level of poverty, as the Department of Census and Statistics (2019) data reveals, the estate sector where most Malaiyaha Tamils live had a poverty headcount index of 33.8%; more than double the national rate of 14.3%. These statistics highlight key indicators of the systemic discrimination faced by the Malaiyaha Tamil community.

Some crucial observations from the SSA data collectors who enumerated responses from estate residents in the survey reveal the specific challenges faced by the Malaiyaha Tamils, particularly in their efforts to seek state support for compensation and reconstruction.

First, the Central Province experienced not just flooding but also the highest number of landslides in the island. As a result, some residents in the region lost entire homes, access roadways, and other basic infrastructures. The loss of lives, livelihoods and land was at a higher intensity compared to the provinces not located in the hills. Most importantly, the Malaiyaha Tamil community’s pre-existing grievances made them even more vulnerable and the government’s job of reparation and restitution more complex.

Early warnings hadn’t reached many areas. Some data collectors said they themselves never heard any warnings in estate areas, while others mentioned that early warnings were issued but didn’t reach some segments of the community. According to the resident data collectors, the police announcements reached only as far as the sections where they were able to drive their vehicles to, and there were many estate roads that were not motorable. When warnings did filter through to remote locations, they often came by word of mouth and information was distorted along the way. Once the disaster hit, things got worse: roads were blocked, electricity went out, mobile networks failed and people were cut off completely.

Emergency response was slow. Blocked roads meant people could not get to hospitals when they needed urgent care, including pregnant mothers. The difficult terrain and poor road conditions meant rescue teams took much longer to reach affected areas than in other regions.

Relief supplies didn’t reach everyone. The Grama Niladhari divisions in these areas are huge and hard to navigate, making it difficult for Grama Niladharis to reach all places as urgently as needed. Relief workers distributed supplies where vehicles could go, which meant accessible areas got help while remote communities were left out.

Some people didn’t even try to go to safety centres or evacuation shelters set up in local schools because the facilities there were already so poor. The perceptions of people who did go to safety centres, as shown in the provincial data, reveal that satisfaction was low compared to other affected regions of the country. Less than half were satisfied with space and facilities (42.1%) or security and protection (45.0%). Satisfaction was even lower for assistance with lost or damaged documentation (17.9%) and information and support for compensation applications (28.2%). Only 22.5% were satisfied with medical care and health services below most other affected regions.

Restoring services proved nearly impossible in some areas. Road access was the biggest problem. The condition of the roads was already poor even before the cyclone, and some still haven’t been cleared. Recovery is especially difficult because there’s no decent baseline infrastructure to restore, hence you can’t bring roads and other public facilities back to a “good” condition when they were never good, even before the disaster.

Water systems faced their own complications. Many households get water from natural sources or small community projects, and not the centralised state system. These sources are often in the middle of the disaster zone and therefore got contaminated during the floods and landslides.

Long-term recovery remains stalled. Without basic infrastructure, areas that are still hard to reach keep struggling to get the support they need for rebuilding.

Taken together, what do these testaments mean? Disaster response can’t be the same for everyone. The Malaiyaha Tamil community has been double marginalised because they were already living with structural inequalities such as poor infrastructure, geographic isolation, and inadequate services which have been exacerbated by Cyclone Ditwah. An effective and fair disaster response needs to account for these underlying vulnerabilities. It requires interventions tailored to the historical, economic, and infrastructural realities that marginalized communities face every day. On top of that, it highlights the importance of dealing with climate disasters, given the fact that vulnerable communities could face more devastating impacts compared to others.

(Shashik Silva is a researcher with the Social Scientists’ Association of Sri Lanka)

by Shashik Silva ✍️

Features

Crucial test for religious and ethnic harmony in Bangladesh

Published

2 days ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

A political protest that led to governmental change in Bangladesh mid last year. (photograph: imago)

Will the Bangladesh parliamentary election bring into being a government that will ensure ethnic and religious harmony in the country? This is the poser on the lips of peace-loving sections in Bangladesh and a principal concern of those outside who mean the country well.

The apprehensions are mainly on the part of religious and ethnic minorities. The parliamentary poll of February 12th is expected to bring into existence a government headed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist oriented Jamaat-e-Islami party and this is where the rub is. If these parties win, will it be a case of Bangladesh sliding in the direction of a theocracy or a state where majoritarian chauvinism thrives?

Chief of the Jamaat, Shafiqur Rahman, who was interviewed by sections of the international media recently said that there is no need for minority groups in Bangladesh to have the above fears. He assured, essentially, that the state that will come into being will be equable and inclusive. May it be so, is likely to be the wish of those who cherish a tension-free Bangladesh.

The party that could have posed a challenge to the above parties, the Awami League Party of former Prime Minister Hasina Wased, is out of the running on account of a suspension that was imposed on it by the authorities and the mentioned majoritarian-oriented parties are expected to have it easy at the polls.

A positive that has emerged against the backdrop of the poll is that most ordinary people in Bangladesh, be they Muslim or Hindu, are for communal and religious harmony and it is hoped that this sentiment will strongly prevail, going ahead. Interestingly, most of them were of the view, when interviewed, that it was the politicians who sowed the seeds of discord in the country and this viewpoint is widely shared by publics all over the region in respect of the politicians of their countries.

Some sections of the Jamaat party were of the view that matters with regard to the orientation of governance are best left to the incoming parliament to decide on but such opinions will be cold comfort for minority groups. If the parliamentary majority comes to consist of hard line Islamists, for instance, there is nothing to prevent the country from going in for theocratic governance. Consequently, minority group fears over their safety and protection cannot be prevented from spreading.

Therefore, we come back to the question of just and fair governance and whether Bangladesh’s future rulers could ensure these essential conditions of democratic rule. The latter, it is hoped, will be sufficiently perceptive to ascertain that a Bangladesh rife with religious and ethnic tensions, and therefore unstable, would not be in the interests of Bangladesh and those of the region’s countries.

Unfortunately, politicians region-wide fall for the lure of ethnic, religious and linguistic chauvinism. This happens even in the case of politicians who claim to be democratic in orientation. This fate even befell Bangladesh’s Awami League Party, which claims to be democratic and socialist in general outlook.

We have it on the authority of Taslima Nasrin in her ground-breaking novel, ‘Lajja’, that the Awami Party was not of any substantial help to Bangladesh’s Hindus, for example, when violence was unleashed on them by sections of the majority community. In fact some elements in the Awami Party were found to be siding with the Hindus’ murderous persecutors. Such are the temptations of hard line majoritarianism.

In Sri Lanka’s past numerous have been the occasions when even self-professed Leftists and their parties have conveniently fallen in line with Southern nationalist groups with self-interest in mind. The present NPP government in Sri Lanka has been waxing lyrical about fostering national reconciliation and harmony but it is yet to prove its worthiness on this score in practice. The NPP government remains untested material.

As a first step towards national reconciliation it is hoped that Sri Lanka’s present rulers would learn the Tamil language and address the people of the North and East of the country in Tamil and not Sinhala, which most Tamil-speaking people do not understand. We earnestly await official language reforms which afford to Tamil the dignity it deserves.

An acid test awaits Bangladesh as well on the nation-building front. Not only must all forms of chauvinism be shunned by the incoming rulers but a secular, truly democratic Bangladesh awaits being licked into shape. All identity barriers among people need to be abolished and it is this process that is referred to as nation-building.

On the foreign policy frontier, a task of foremost importance for Bangladesh is the need to build bridges of amity with India. If pragmatism is to rule the roost in foreign policy formulation, Bangladesh would place priority to the overcoming of this challenge. The repatriation to Bangladesh of ex-Prime Minister Hasina could emerge as a steep hurdle to bilateral accord but sagacious diplomacy must be used by Bangladesh to get over the problem.

A reply to N.A. de S. Amaratunga

A response has been penned by N.A. de S. Amaratunga (please see p5 of ‘The Island’ of February 6th) to a previous column by me on ‘ India shaping-up as a Swing State’, published in this newspaper on January 29th , but I remain firmly convinced that India remains a foremost democracy and a Swing State in the making.

If the countries of South Asia are to effectively manage ‘murderous terrorism’, particularly of the separatist kind, then they would do well to adopt to the best of their ability a system of government that provides for power decentralization from the centre to the provinces or periphery, as the case may be. This system has stood India in good stead and ought to prove effective in all other states that have fears of disintegration.

Moreover, power decentralization ensures that all communities within a country enjoy some self-governing rights within an overall unitary governance framework. Such power-sharing is a hallmark of democratic governance.

Features

Celebrating Valentine’s Day …

Published

2 days ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating love, romance, and affection, and this is how some of our well-known personalities plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day – 14th February:

Merlina Fernando (Singer)

Yes, it’s a special day for lovers all over the world and it’s even more special to me because 14th February is the birthday of my husband Suresh, who’s the lead guitarist of my band Mission.

We have planned to celebrate Valentine’s Day and his Birthday together and it will be a wonderful night as always.

We will be having our fans and close friends, on that night, with their loved ones at Highso – City Max hotel Dubai, from 9.00 pm onwards.

Lorensz Francke (Elvis Tribute Artiste)

On Valentine’s Day I will be performing a live concert at a Wealthy Senior Home for Men and Women, and their families will be attending, as well.

I will be performing live with romantic, iconic love songs and my song list would include ‘Can’t Help falling in Love’, ‘Love Me Tender’, ‘Burning Love’, ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’, ‘The Wonder of You’ and ‘’It’s Now or Never’ to name a few.

To make Valentine’s Day extra special I will give the Home folks red satin scarfs.

Emma Shanaya (Singer)

I plan on spending the day of love with my girls, especially my best friend. I don’t have a romantic Valentine this year but I am thrilled to spend it with the girl that loves me through and through. I’ll be in Colombo and look forward to go to a cute cafe and spend some quality time with my childhood best friend Zulha.

JAYASRI

Emma-and-Maneeka

This Valentine’s Day the band JAYASRI we will be really busy; in the morning we will be landing in Sri Lanka, after our Oman Tour; then in the afternoon we are invited as Chief Guests at our Maris Stella College Sports Meet, Negombo, and late night we will be with LineOne band live in Karandeniya Open Air Down South. Everywhere we will be sharing LOVE with the mass crowds.

Kay Jay (Singer)

I will stay at home and cook a lovely meal for lunch, watch some movies, together with Sanjaya, and, maybe we go out for dinner and have a lovely time. Come to think of it, every day is Valentine’s Day for me with Sanjaya Alles.

Maneka Liyanage (Beauty Tips)

On this special day, I celebrate love by spending meaningful time with the people I cherish. I prepare food with love and share meals together, because food made with love brings hearts closer. I enjoy my leisure time with them — talking, laughing, sharing stories, understanding each other, and creating beautiful memories. My wish for this Valentine’s Day is a world without fighting — a world where we love one another like our own beloved, where we do not hurt others, even through a single word or action. Let us choose kindness, patience, and understanding in everything we do.

Janaka Palapathwala (Singer)

Janaka

Valentine’s Day should not be the only day we speak about love.

From the moment we are born into this world, we seek love, first through the very drop of our mother’s milk, then through the boundless care of our Mother and Father, and the embrace of family.

Love is everywhere. All living beings, even plants, respond in affection when they are loved.

As we grow, we learn to love, and to be loved. One day, that love inspires us to build a new family of our own.

Love has no beginning and no end. It flows through every stage of life, timeless, endless, and eternal.

Natasha Rathnayake (Singer)

We don’t have any special plans for Valentine’s Day. When you’ve been in love with the same person for over 25 years, you realise that love isn’t a performance reserved for one calendar date. My husband and I have never been big on public displays, or grand gestures, on 14th February. Our love is expressed quietly and consistently, in ordinary, uncelebrated moments.

With time, you learn that love isn’t about proving anything to the world or buying into a commercialised idea of romance—flowers that wilt, sweets that spike blood sugar, and gifts that impress briefly but add little real value. In today’s society, marketing often pushes the idea that love is proven by how much money you spend, and that buying things is treated as a sign of commitment.

Real love doesn’t need reminders or price tags. It lives in showing up every day, choosing each other on unromantic days, and nurturing the relationship intentionally and without an audience.

This isn’t a judgment on those who enjoy celebrating Valentine’s Day. It’s simply a personal choice.

Melloney Dassanayake (Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2024)

I truly believe it’s beautiful to have a day specially dedicated to love. But, for me, Valentine’s Day goes far beyond romantic love alone. It celebrates every form of love we hold close to our hearts: the love for family, friends, and that one special person who makes life brighter. While 14th February gives us a moment to pause and celebrate, I always remind myself that love should never be limited to just one day. Every single day should feel like Valentine’s Day – constant reminder to the people we love that they are never alone, that they are valued, and that they matter.

I’m incredibly blessed because, for me, every day feels like Valentine’s Day. My special person makes sure of that through the smallest gestures, the quiet moments, and the simple reminders that love lives in the details. He shows me that it’s the little things that count, and that love doesn’t need grand stages to feel extraordinary. This Valentine’s Day, perfection would be something intimate and meaningful: a cozy picnic in our home garden, surrounded by nature, laughter, and warmth, followed by an abstract drawing session where we let our creativity flow freely. To me, that’s what love is – simple, soulful, expressive, and deeply personal. When love is real, every ordinary moment becomes magical.

Noshin De Silva (Actress)

Valentine’s Day is one of my favourite holidays! I love the décor, the hearts everywhere, the pinks and reds, heart-shaped chocolates, and roses all around. But honestly, I believe every day can be Valentine’s Day.

It doesn’t have to be just about romantic love. It’s a chance to celebrate love in all its forms with friends, family, or even by taking a little time for yourself.

Whether you’re spending the day with someone special or enjoying your own company, it’s a reminder to appreciate meaningful connections, show kindness, and lead with love every day.

And yes, I’m fully on theme this year with heart nail art and heart mehendi design!

Wishing everyone a very happy Valentine’s Day, but, remember, love yourself first, and don’t forget to treat yourself.

Sending my love to all of you.