Ceylinco Life has announced the launch of the 25th consecutive edition of its flagship Pranama Scholarships programme, marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-standing commitment to recognising and rewarding excellence among the children of its policyholders.

Under the 2026 programme, the life insurance market leader will present scholarships with a total cumulative value of Rs. 22.7 million, continuing a rewards initiative that has now been conducted without interruption for a quarter of a century. Since its inception, the Ceylinco Life Pranama Scholarships programme has benefitted 3,466 students across the country, representing a total investment of Rs. 240 million in nurturing academic achievement and outstanding performance in sports, arts and other extracurricular pursuits.

The artistic genius of Sri Lankans was amply manifest all over again at ‘Kala Pola ‘26’ which was held on February 8th at Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha Colombo 7; the usual, teeming and colourful venue for this annual grand exhibition and celebration of the work of local visual artists.

If there is one thing that has flourished memorably and resplendently in Sri Lanka over the centuries it is the artistic capability or genius of its people. It is something that all Sri Lankans could feel a sense of elation over because from the viewpoint of the arts, Sri Lanka is second to no other nation. With regard to the visual arts a veritable dazzling radiance of this inborn and persisting capability is seen at the annual open air ‘Kala Pola’.

A bird of Sri Lanka created from scraps of iron waste.

All capable visual artists, wherever they hail from in Sri Lanka, enjoy the opportunity of exhibiting their work at the ‘Kala Pola’ and this is a distinctive ‘positive’ of this annual event that draws numberless artists and viewers. There was an abundance of paintings, sketches and sculptures, for instance, and one work was as good as the other. Ample and equal space was afforded each artist. Its widely participatory and open nature enables one to describe the exhibition as exuding a profoundly democratic ethos.

Accordingly, this time around at ‘Kala Pola ‘26’ too Sri Lankans’ creative efforts were there to be viewed, studied and enjoyed in the customary carnival atmosphere where connoisseurs, local and foreign, met in a sprit of camaraderie and good cheer. Many thanks are owed once again to the George Keyt Foundation for the presentation of the event in association with the John Keells Group and the John Keells Foundation, not forgetting the Nations Trust Bank, which was the event’s Official Banking Partner. The exhibition was officially declared open by Chief Guest Marc-Andre Franche, UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka.

By Lynn Ockersz

CSE trading kicked off on a positive note initially yesterday due to favourable profit-earnings by companies but later due to profit-takings the All Share Price Index showed a downward trend and later ended with mixed reactions.

Amid those developments, the All Share Price Index went down by 47.70 points, while the S and P SL20 went up by 2.61 points.

Turnover stood at Rs 6.31 billion with 13 crossings. The top seven crossings were: CIC Holdings’ 25 million shares crossed for Rs 877 million; its shares traded at Rs 35, Lanka Milk Food 6.1 million shares crossed for Rs 430 million; its shares traded at Rs 70.50, Melstacorp 1.95 million shares crossed for Rs 351 million; its shares traded at Rs 188.50, Hemas Holdings 5.9 million shares crossed for Rs 210 million; its shares sold at Rs 34.50, Hayleys 3 million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 118 million; its shares sold at Rs 39.40, HNB 200,000 shares crossed for Rs 85.8 million; its shares sold at Rs 429 and Royal Ceramics one million shares crossed for Rs 51.7 million and; its shares traded at Rs 51.60.

In the retail market top seven companies that mainly contributed to the turnover were; Lanka Milk Food Rs 427 million (5.5 million shares traded), TJ Lanka Rs 185.5 million (4.8 million shares traded), Renuka Agri Rs 171 million (124 million shares traded), SMB Finance Rs 131 million (124 million shares traded), Renuka Foods Rs118.7 million (1.6 million shares traded), Sampath Bank Rs 117.2 million (751,900 shares traded) and Seylan Bank Rs 117 million (one million shares traded). During the day 351 million share volumes changed hands in 43861 transactions.

It is said that mixed reactions were noted throughout the day. The banking and manufacturing sector performed well. In the banking sector HNB,Sampath Bank and Seylan Bank performed well. In the manufacturing sector CIC and TJ Lanka performed well.

Yesterday the rupee was quoted at Rs 309.38/42 to the US dollar in the spot market Monday, from 309.35/45 Friday, dealers said, while a bond settled on the 2029 tenors opened lower with the rest of the yield curve intact.

By Hiran H Senewiratne