High Commission of Sri Lanka in India

Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake undertook an official visit to New Delhi India from 6th – 7th June 2017. During this visit he met the Indian Prime Minister Naredra Modi and the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. He also had separate meetings with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar.

The first item on the agenda was the courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence. Prime Minister Modi stated that he was pleased to welcome the new Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka who is on his first visit outside the country. Prime Minister Modi said that as Minister Karunanayake held the Finance portfolio, there is no doubt that now as the Minister of Foreign Affairs he would give the necessary leadership and continue to work closely with India for the mutual benefit of both countries.

Foreign Minister Karunanayake conveyed the greetings of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to Prime Minister Modi. He thanked Prime Minister Modi and the Indian Government for the prompt relief assistance provided to Sri Lanka following the recent floods and landslides in the country. While expressing India’s solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka affected by this natural disaster, Prime Minister Modi expressed his appreciation to Minister Karunanayake for being present at the Colombo Port to receive the donations. Referring to his recent visit to attend the International Vesak Celebration in Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Modi said that it was a memorable visit due to the spiritual element that is associated with Vesak. Prime Minister Modi further said that India will stand by Sri Lanka’s forward march towards progress and prosperity. In response Minister Karunanayake said that the frequent visits at the highest level have brought about a close bond between the two countries. He also said that he would continue to work actively in taking the bilateral relations to greater heights. Referring to the initiatives taken especially on economic cooperation projects, the Minister said that he would ensure greater focus on their implementation aspect. The discussion also covered avenues for collaboration in other areas of common interest. It was agreed that as neighbours, and more importantly as friends, India and Sri Lanka will continue to remain engaged and work together for the benefit of the two countries and the region. 

At the meeting between Minister Karunanayake and the Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, held at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Bhawan of the Ministry of External Affairs, the two Ministers took note of the excellent bilateral relations and the progress made with regard to all areas of mutual interest. Minister Karunanayake conveyed the greetings of his predecessor Mangala Samaraweera to Minister Swaraj and said he would continue the excellent work carried out during the last two years. The meeting was followed by a dinner hosted in honour of Minister Karunanayake by Minister Swaraj.

At the end of the official programme Minister Karunananyake conducted a press briefing organised by the High Commission of Sri Lanka for a select group of New Delhi based journalists. Minister Karunanayake also made a brief visit to the Sri Lanka High Commission.

High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in India Chitranganee Wagiswara, Senior Director General of the South Asia and SAARC Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Asoka Girihagama and the Media Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs W M S Kumara were associated with Minister Karunanayake at the meetings. 

High Commission of Sri Lanka,New Delhi

7 June 2017    

Sri Lanka Flood Relief

To All Sri Lankans living in India

As you are aware, due to heavy monsoon rains which have persisted over the last few days several areas of Sri Lanka have been severely affected by flooding and landslides.  According to the Disaster Management Centre of the Ministry of Disaster Management of Sri Lanka 557,505 people have been rendered homeless, 177 people have been killed while 109 are not accounted for, as of 29th May 2017;

The High Commission of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka will receive with appreciation your support in the form of cash donations to provide urgent relief items and assist in the medium and the long-term recovery process. All such assistance received by the High Commission will be directed to the Ministry of Disaster Management through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka. The High Commission bank details are as follows:

Account name           - High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi

Bank                           - State Bank of India

Account No.               - US $ Account 11084281107

                                       In. Rs. Account  11084232477

Swift code                  - SBININBB104

IFSC code                  - SBIN0000691

MICR code                - 110002087

Beneficiary                - High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi

Website                      - www.slhcindia.org

[Note: All cash donations remitted to the High Commission's bank account or hand delivered will be acknowledged with an official receipt under the title "Contributions to Flood Relief".]

Latest situation reports of the disaster situation can be accessed through the website of the Disaster Management Centre of Sri Lanka www.dmc.gov.lk]

A list provided by the Disaster Management Centre of the items required for those affected as at 28th May 2017 is enclosed as Annex I; However, please note that the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi does not accept donation of goods and such items have to be directly shipped to the Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management by the sender/s.

For inquiries please contact, Ms. Nirmala Paranavitana, Minister Counsellor through 01123014697/01123010201, Email: slhc.newdelhi@mfa.gov.lk

 Vesak celebrations in New Delhi would further augment the historic Indo – Sri Lanka socio-cultural linkages and the time tested goodwill between the two peoples as amply manifested during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Sri Lanka for the UN Vesak Celebrations last week, the Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam stated, while the Indian Minister of State Kiren Rijiju welcomed a significant leap in New Delhi’s cultural calendar symbolizing one of India’s greatest gifts to the mankind – Buddhism.   These observations were made at the inauguration ceremony of the first ever Vesak Pandal in New Delhi yesterday, as the final phase of the celebrations organized to mark the Vesak 2017 by the High Commission of Sri Lanka.

The ceremony was attended by the clergy, political dignitaries, city officials, diplomats, members of the academia and a cross section of the general public, to mark the inauguration of the glittering artwork of the 40 feet high Pandal erected overlooking a park along the Shanti Path which is also known as the Ceremonial Route in the diplomatic enclave in New Delhi.  The Pandal attracted the local crowds in numbers soon after its 15,000 multi-coloured bulbs illuminated the night skies. Although the “Buddha Purnima” is a government holiday and is celebrated by the Buddhists in India, “Vesak Pandals” are not a widely known cultural feature.  

The ceremony commenced with the invoking of the blessings by the Maha Sangha led by the Chief Incumbent of the Varanasi Centre of the Mahabodhi Society of India Ven K. Medhankara Thero and the Chief Incumbent of the New Delhi Centre of the Mahabodhi Society of India Ven R. Sumiththananda Thero. The traditional oil lamp was lit by the Minister of Education of Sri Lanka Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in India Chitranganee Wagiswara, Minister of State for Home Affairs of India Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment of India Rajesh Athawale, New Delhi Municipal Council Chairman Naresh Kumar and the Joint Secretary of the Indian Ocean Region Division of the Ministry of External Affairs of India Sanjay Panda.

High Commissioner Chitranganee Wagiswara welcomed the gathering and outlined the importance of the Vesak day and the extensive arrangements made by the High Commission in collaboration with the City authorities to celebrate Vesak in New Delhi.  She spoke of Buddha’s universal message of peace which is internationally recognized by the United Nations following the initiative taken by the former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.  She also referred to the Prime Minister Modi’s remarks in Sri Lanka on “limitless possibilities of our shared future” and our “friendship that lives in the hearts of our people and is the fabric of our societies.”

The Staff of the High Commission, and their family members joined by a group of Sri Lankan expatriates sang Bhakti Gee.  As the lights were switched on by the Ministers and the High Commissioner and Colonel Kumara the leader of the Sri Lanka Army Engineering Corps team which erected the Pandal, the Hindi translation of the story of the Pandal – Angulimala - was played in the background.

A special 16 member team from the Engineering Services Corps of the Sri Lanka Army erected the Pandal and the main structure which was brought from Sri Lanka while the necessary facilities and assistance was secured in India.  

The High Commission of Sri Lanka has been facilitated to carry out this task by a group of well wishers and sponsors both from Sri Lanka and India. They include Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lankan Airlines, ICT Maurya Group in India, RITES Ltd in India, Indian Railway Construction Company (IRCON) and the Indian Oil Company (IOC).

The Pandal would be on display for a week, taking the centre stage in an area that had been lit up since the Vesak day, with hundreds of lanterns and buckets making it a Vesak Kalapaya or a Vesak Compound in New Delhi.

Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi

16^th May 2017