In brief

Hindu officials meet Nepal envoy

Bhrimashri Balaravichandra Sivachchar Iyer and Bhrimashri Ramachandra Iyer, Veerapandiyan Iyer, Coordinators of the Hindu Religious Affairs to the President of Sri Lanka had a discussion with the Ambassador of Nepal, Sushil Chandra Amatya recently.

Various problems of different levels related to Tamil Hindus living in the North, East and the up country were discussed.

The rehabilitation of North and East Hindu bodies affected religious temples, enhancement of education and higher education in up-country, and encouraging Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims for worship in Nepal, which is a Hindu empire were also discussed.

Kidney patient needs help

M. K. Vernan Ronald Rodrigo (49) is at End Stage kidney failure and the Consultant Nephrologist Dr. A. L. M. Nazar of the NHSL has recommended transplant.

The surgery could be done free at the NHSL but the expenses for anti-rejection therapy, custodial solution and investigations will cost around Rs. 400,000, which will have to be borne by the patient.

As the patient is financially unsound, he appeals to the generous public for help. Contribution could be remitted to A/c No. 1-0075-03-1880-9 of National Savings Bank, Kadawata/ Bank of Ceylon, Kadawata A/c No. 4177207. Contact: 033-3333852/0717-337034.

By-pass surgery: Appeal for funds

K. H. Malani of 166/1, Parakandeniya, Embulgoda is suffering from a heart ailment and the cardiac surgeons of Sri Jayawardenepura hospital have recommended urgent by-pass surgery. The cost is around Rs. 400,000, out of which, a sum of Rs. 100,000 has been assured by the President's Fund and the balance Rs. 300,000 had to be found.

Their only son H. A. D. Priyankar joined the Navy and died in action.

Her husband, M. H. Bottel appeals to the generous public to make their contributions to Jt. A/C No. 2732-001-4-0005183, People's Bank, Kadawatha branch.

'TBJ Walk 2010' on March 27

The Old Boys' Association of T.B. Jayah Maha Vidyalaya (OBA), Principal, staff members and well-wishers have organised the "TBJ Walk 2010", to commemorate the 75th anniversary, in the school vicinity on March 27 with an objective of promoting the school and to assist in improving the standards of its educational and curricular activities.

For details contact: OBA President, Shabeen - 0777 730968 or Principal, Mrs. Nazeera Hassanar - 0776 032585.

Sworn in as PC

by Sarath MALALASEKERA

Additional Solicitor General, Lawrence Marcel Kumaran Arulanandan was sworn in as President's Counsel at a ceremonial sitting, presided over by acting Chief Justice Dr. Shirani A. Bandaranayake recently.

Arulanandan who was called to the Bar on August 21, 1979, worked in the Chambers of President's Counsels Daya Perera, R.I. Obeysekere and M.L.M. Ameen before he joined the Attorney General's Department, on February 1, 1983 as Acting State Counsel, consequent to a recommendation by the late Justice O.S.M. Seneviratne.

'English as a life skill' at Royal

A special ten day training program is being organised by Royal College, Colombo on an initiative of the Principal, Upali Gunasekera, to train 35 English langauge teachers in the delivery of spoken English skills to students. The 80 hour training course will be conducted by the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) Hyderabad trained master trainers of the Presidential Initiative on English as a Life Skill. All the trainees come from Sinhala and Tamil speaking rural homes. Sri Lanka's new rural spoken English experts with cutting-edge teaching tools and methods from the EFLU at Hyderabad - the world's centre of excellence for the teaching of English to non-English speaking communities - will be training the English teachers of the country's elite urban school - Royal - to teach spoken English to their students. Professors N.K. Nihalani and Julu Sen of the newly opened Sri Lanka-India Centre for English Language Training (SKLICELT) will assist in the program.Secretary to the President, Lalith Weeratunga will inaugurate the program at 8.30 a.m. tomorrow at the 'Skills Centre' of the school. Presidential Advisor Coordinator/English and Convenor of the Presidential Task Force on English and IT, Sunimal Fernando will be associated.