Events

Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships 2014-15

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe (3rd from left) and High Commissioner of India Y. K. Sinha together with the other officials at the ceremony.

The prestigious Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships for 2014-15 were awarded to 150 high school students from all 25 districts across Sri Lanka by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, and High Commissioner of India Y. K. Sinha, at a special ceremony at the Auditorium of the Ministry of Sports on August 5, 2015.

The Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship, a merit-cum-means-based Scholarship instituted in 2006-07 for Sri Lankan students, is awarded annually by the High Commission of India in cooperation with the Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka. Recipients receive cash assistance during their two years of 'A' level studies. The High Commission of India also announced an increase in the scholarship amount by 25% from 2015-16.

Accordingly, this year's awardees will receive Rs. 24,000 each during their first year of 'A' level, and Rs. 30,000 during their second year.

The 150 students (six each from 25 districts) were selected in May 2015 by a joint selection committee comprising officials from the High Commission of India and the Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka, based on performance of the student in the 'O' level examinations and in an interview. The students selected for the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship will also be eligible to apply for various undergraduate scholarships and self-financed schemes awarded by the Government of India. Under these schemes, students can pursue undergraduate courses in various reputed institutes and Universities in India.

Most of the students who received this scholarship in the past have gone on to excel in their chosen fields of study at the undergraduate and higher levels.

Sri Lankan President and Pakistan's High Commissioner at Final T20 match :

Closely fought, keenly watched...

President Maithripala Sirisena joined with Pakistan's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Maj Gen Syed Shakeel Hussain to take in the Pakistan Vs Sri Lanka Final T20 Match, which turned out to be a closely fought one in recent times at R. Premadasa Stadium Colombo.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Maj Gen Syed Shakeel Hussain watching the Pakistan Vs Sri Lanka Final T20 Match.	Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Maj Gen Syed Shakeel Hussain presenting the ‘Team of the Match’ Award to Pakistan T20 Captain Shahid Afridi at the Presentation Ceremony at the conclusion of Final T 20 match.

Ralph Toastmasters inducts first Lady President Chithra Veerabahu

Chief Guest - Kumar de Silva	Guest of Honour - Arunasalam Balraj	The First Lady President of Ralph Toastmasters Club, Chithra Veerabahu

The Ralph Toastmasters Club last weekend inducted its first-ever Lady President, Chitra Veerabahu, at a gala ceremony at the Grand Oriental Hotel in Colombo.

Chief Guest on the occasion was Corporate Etiquette Trainer Kumar de Silva.

Guest of Honour was Arunasalam Balraj, 2nd Vice President, Toastmasters International who is also a member of Colombo Toastmasters and Ralph Toastmasters.

Present on the occasion were also Program Quality Director, District 82-Sudash Liyanage, Club Growth Director, District 82- Ajantha Jayawardena, Division Director, Division A - Hussain Moosajee and Area Director, Area A 3 - Koshal Krishnakumar among others.

The event also recognised the achievement of Ralph member, former Wesleyite, Arfath Saleem, who is the current District 82 International Speech Contest Champion, and who will represent the District at the World Championship of Public Speaking at Las Vegas, USA from 12th to 15th August 2015.

The Executive Committee of Ralph Toastmasters for the year 2015-16

Named after Ralph C Smedley, the founder of Toastmasters, the Ralph Toastmasters is a 10 year old Toastmaster Club open to all who wish to improve in the areas Public Speaking and Leadership Skills.

The Club meets twice a month, on every first and third Wednesday at the Royal College Skills Centre 5.30 pm onwards.