 |
Economic Development
Minister Basil Rajapaksa distributed flood relief sent by
India among the flood-affected in the Batticloa district
Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and Indian
High Commissioner Ashok K Kantha was also present
Pic: Chaminda Hittatiya |
Pindapatha on Duruthu Poya
The "Nivasipura Buddhist Society" with the support
of the residents is organising yet another "Pindapatha" procession
at Nivasipura on Duruthu Poya Day, Wednesday, January 19 at 3 pm,
the organisers said.
Fifty Bhikkhus including student bhikkhus from
neighbouring temples and the Balabowa Pirivena, Dewalapola will be
offered dry items as alms by Nivasie residents of all religions to
foster and strength religious harmony among all.
The offering of alms to bhikkhus in this age-old
tradition of "Pindapatha" offers a chance to gain merit and
cultivates the habit of dana.
The procession will start from the Nivasie Community
Hall playground.
Thereafter, members of the Buddhist Society will
offer medicinal and herbal drinks to the bhikkhus and transfer merit
to all who contributed, participated and helped in this meritorious
deed.
The route of the procession will be marked by
Buddhist flags. The residents can offer alms to any number of
bhikkhus they wish to.
The following items could be offered for Pindapatha
Medicinal items (Samahan, Paspanguwa, Siddhalepa and
Panadol, Batteries (Torch, penlight) and bulbs, towels (light
colours), Andana Kada Hankies, stationery items (Exercise books,
note books, pens, pencils, half sheets and writing paper, Razors,
soap, washing powder, vim and harpic, Sugar, milk powder, tea leaves
and coffee etc.
Any items for bhikkhus and temples will be accepted,
the organisers said.
Sri Lanka at Dutch Tourism Expo
Sri Lanka is participating at the Dutch Tourism Expo
‘Vakentiebeures 2011’, which concludes today in Utrecht, the
Netherlands.
‘Vakentiebeurs’ is a popular tourism trade fair in
the Benelux region and has been held in the Netherlands since 1970.
This is the 29th time that Sri Lanka is taking part in the fair. Sri
Lank’s participation was organised by the Sri Lanka Tourism
Promotion Bureau in close coordination with the Embassy of Sri Lanka
in the Hague. The event commenced on January 11.
The theme for ‘Vakentiebeurs 2011’ is ‘Unforgettable
destinations’. The Expo brings together tour operators, travel trade
professionals, travel journalists, consumers and other interested
parties under one roof to meet and network to market tourism
products and services. Around 120 countries with more than 1,100
exhibitors are represented at the ‘Vakentiebeures 2011’ which was
expected to attract around 100,000 visitors. Ten Sri Lankan
companies - Asian Adventures, Sunway Holidays, Ceylon Tours, Jetwing
Travels, Lanka Leisure Travel, ECO Team, Walkers Tours, Andrews
Travels, Journey’s Scape and Hawk Travels - are represented at the
Sri Lanka pavilion.
Opportunities at Buddhist TV station in Thailand
The Dhammakaya Media Channel (DMC), a Buddhist
channel in Thailand, is seeking active young Sri Lankans to be
recruited to the DMC Headquarters in Thailand. New recruits are
needed to produce TV programs to be broadcast for two hours daily in
Sri Lanka on the Buddhist Channel. The job requires capabilities in
English - Sinhala translation, program coordination and program
production.
Candidates between the ages of 20 and 35 with a
Bachelor’s Degree and with a good command of English could apply.
Candidates with an IELTS score above 6.5 or TOEFL iBT scores above
79 could also apply. Candidates should be willing to stay in
Thailand for at least one year and able to work under pressure. Work
is scheduled to start from the beginning of March.
Walk-in-interviews would be held on January 17 and
18 between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. at Buddhist TV, Sri Sambodhi Viharaya,
Gregory’s Road, Colombo 7.
Lankan, first Asian recipient of UK award
The Institute of Physics, UK has awarded one of the
six ‘Teachers of Physics Award 2010’ to Priyankara Gunawardena, a
teacher of Sri Lankan origin at Liverpool College.
He is the first Asian recipient of the award.
Gunawardena was born in Sri Lanka and studied at Seevali College,
Ratnapura and D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo, graduating from the
University of Colombo with an Honours Degree in Physics. After
teaching at the University of Colombo and several international
schools, he migrated to the UK in 2001 when he was offered a
teaching position by an inner London school.
In 2002, he joined the Liverpool College which he
has since. He is married with two children.
The Teachers of Physics Awards, instituted in 1986,
celebrate and reward the success of teachers who, by their
outstanding practice in the classroom have raised the state of
physics and science in schools, and are given to schoolteachers in
secondary education.
Ex-Tiger cadres reunited with families
Seventy eight rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres were
reunited with their families at a ceremony presided over by
Rehabilitation and Prisons Reforms Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera
yesterday.
At the event which was held in line with the
national Thai Pongal ceremony at the Jaffna Central College, the
cadres over 20 years, were handed over to their parents.
The cadres were from Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and
Vavuniya districts. A cadre who had two children was reunited with
his family.
Schols for disabled varsity entrants
Maharagama Spl. Cor.
The Parent Memorial Scholarship Foundation invites
applications from disabled and economically disadvantaged students
who were successful to enter universities with the 2010 (A/L)
examination to enter universities.
Those qualified to enter the faculties of medicine,
engineering, management and law (including science, maths and arts)
are eligible to apply for these annual scholarships.
The programme was initiated in 2006 and 154 needy
students have already been benefited. The selected applicants will
be awarded Rs. 1500 per month during the first year of their
university studies.
Self-prepared applications with the bio-data should
be sent on or before 31st January 2011, together with the following
documents.
1. G.C.E. (A/L) 2010 Examination results certified
by the Principal.
2. A letter from Grama Niladhari certifying
authencity of the family
3. A testimonial from the chief incumbent of a
religious worship in the village
4. A letter written by the applicant in his own
handwriting, the genuine economical hardships of the family.
5. All applications should be sent before January 31
to: Mrs. Seetha Gunathilake, the Director, Parents Memorial
Scholarship Foundation, 392/2, Perera Mawatha, Kotuwegoda,
Rajagiriya.
For details contact: 011-2877950.
SLHA appeals for essential items
Sri Lanka Housewives' Association (SLHA) has planned
to collect essential items to be dispatched immediately to the
floods affected areas.
All items should be sent to the Headquarters at 179,
Sir James Peiris Mawatha between 9.30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays.
The list of items needed are, towels, bedsheets, tinned food,
bottled water, dry rations, new clothes, baby clothing and food
items.
Contact 2449715 (Headquarters) for details.
RASSL lecture tomorrow
The special lecture of the Royal Asiatic Society of
Sri Lanka (RASSL) will be held on Monday January 17, at 5.00 p.m. at
the Gamini Dissanayake auditorium, Mahaweli Centre, 96, Ananda
Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 7.
The title of the lecture will be "Sri Lanka Studies
Outside Sri Lanka: Challenges and Opportunities", presented by Prof.
Karori Singh, former Director, South Asia Studies Centre, Jaipur,
India.
Former Dharmaraja Principal passes away
Former Principal of Dharmaraja College (Primary
Section), Col. K.B.S. Welagedera, (73) of 35, Katukelle Road, Kandy
passed away. He was also the President at D.R.C. Old Cadets
Association for more than 10 years.
Funeral arrangements will be notified later.
