Char Adhyaya or four chapters, a cultural festival based on the works of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore will start in Colombo on 15th of October. The festival will cover the four aspects of Gurudev’s works - music, dance, painting and drama. The festival will have performances by Sri Lankan and Indian alumni of Shantiniketan and other famous artists. The festival is being supported by the India-Sri Lanka Foundation.

Famous Sri Lankan dancer and choreographer Channa Wickramasinghe, who is the President of the ‘Santiniketan Friends’, and his troupe would be performing Kanya - a fusion of Sri Lankan dance style on the tunes of Sougata Roy Chowdhury, the renowned Sarod player from India.

‘Santiniketan Friends’ is an organization formed by the Sri Lankan alumni of Shantiniketan to promote Sri Lanka as a cultural hub in South Asia. It aims to promote Gurudev Tagore’s vision of unity through culture and fusion of expression through the medium of fine arts and culture.

 Sri Lanka's ruling party, UPFA has swept the provincial council elections. The results for the three provinces were announced by the election commission after the counting was completed Sunday morning.

AIR Colombo correspondent reports, President Mahinda Rajapaksa led UPFA has won two-thirds majority in the North-Central and Central provinces and has emerged as the single largest party in the eastern province.

The Eastern province of Sri Lanka was dominated by Tamil Tiger rebels until they were driven out of the region in 2007. The elections here were fought by the Tamil National Alliance, TNA, for the first time since the end of the civil war in 2009.

TNA had boycotted the elections in 2008. Sri Lanka's two main minorities -- Tamils and Muslims - live here in almost equal numbers, and the province has not been a stronghold of the ruling party.

A victory for President Rajapaksa here is expected to be significant in helping the government in its rehabilitation and resettlement efforts. The two-thirds majority for UPFA in North Central and Sabaragamuva provinces will give a fillip to the ruling party which was intensely attacked by the opposition leader Ranil Wikramasinghe of UNP during the election campaign on charges of corruption and inefficiency. President can also showcase the hard-won victory to the world as an endorsement of his policies by the people.

India today assured that it will take all measures to ensure safety and security of Sri Lankans in the country. It said the Centre was in close consultation with the concerned state governments regarding this. The assurance came in the wake of the travel advisory issued by Sri Lanka asking its citizen not to visit Tamil Nadu until further notice in the wake of some instances intimidation in that state. the act of intimidating a weaker person to make them do something

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An official spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs emphasised that people-to-people contacts are an
integral part of the close historical, cultural, ethnic and civilisational ties between the two countries.The spokesman said that Indian High Commission in Colombo has issued visas to nearly 200,000 Sri Lankan nationals to visit India last year, while approximately 175,000 Indian tourists visited Sri Lanka in 2011.

 Minister of  Minister of Culture, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja has emphasized on age old bonds and people to people links between India and Sri Lanka. In her opening remarks at the Symposium on “Relic Worship: History, Archaeology and Religion in Colombo today, she said, the two countries are the closest of neighbours, with a legacy of intellectual, cultural, religious and linguistic interactions over a period of 2500 years .

She expressed confidence that the second exposition of the sacred Kapilavastu Relics in Sri Lanka , which is being held after a gap of 34 years will reinforce the common cultural heritage shared between India and Sri Lanka and will further strengthen the people-to-people bonds between our countries.

 Sri Lanka Cabinet has given approval to a proposal to establish diplomatic relations with 13 Latin American countries.

The proposal was made by the Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris to establish diplomatic ties with Guatemala, Suriname, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, St. Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. 
Sri Lanka has diplomatic relations with 20 out of the 33 countries in Latin America that are UN members. The government says promotion of Sri Lanka's diplomatic relations in a wide scale in this region will be another step forward in Sri Lanka's foreign policy.

A photo exhibition - India through Sri Lankan Eyes- Buddhist Circuit” - has been inaugurated in Colombo. This comes as a prelude to the forthcoming exposition of Sacred Kapilavastu Relics in Sri Lanka. The exhibition has been organized by the High Commission of India in partnership with the Photographic Society of Sri Lanka in Colombo.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Prof. Tissa Vitarana, Senior Minister of Scientific Affairs, Government of Sri Lanka in presence of Ashok K. Kantha, High Commissioner of India.

The photographs display is an excellent combination of natural beauty and human devotion and captures the emotions involved, through “Sri Lankan eyes”.

Speaking at the inauguration, High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha highlighted that the exposition of Sacred Kapilavastu Relics is being organized in Sri Lanka from 19 August to 4 September 2012 at the request made by the President of Sri Lanka to the Prime Minister of India to provide an opportunity to the followers of Buddhism in Sri Lanka to pay homage to the Kapilavastu Relics. The first Exposition of Sacred Relics in Sri Lanka was in 1978.

India and Sri Lanka have agreed to cooperate to resolve all matters related to delays in customs clearances and an Agreement will be signed between the two countries on Customs cooperation very soon. 

ndia today expressed its keenness to invest in development of war-torn Sri Lanka in a big way. It has also promised to rope in private players to develop ports, exploration of oil and gas and other sectors.

In his official meetings in Colombo, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, now on a visit to Sri Lanka, reaffirmed India's commitment to building infrastructure and institutions in the island nation.
Sharma said both countries reviewed the bilateral ties with reference to rehabilitation and resettlement of
displaced Tamil civilians.

India has been involved in a number of developmental projects in Sri Lanka as part of its efforts to rebuild the
country after the end of the civil war in 2009. 
The country is also building nearly 50,000 houses for displaced civilians in
Tamil-dominated Northern Province.infrast

India and Sri Lanka have agreed to cooperate for the revival and modernisation of the textile sector in the island nation. This was stated by Union Minister of Commerce, Industry & Textiles Anand Sharma at a media interaction in Colombo today.

He said India would work with Sri Lanka for revival and also for establishing some manufacturing unit in the textile sector. The Minister said delegation of leading industrialists from the textiles sector would be visiting Sri Lanka soon to engage with the captains of the industries in the first half of September in this regard.

A delegation from the pharma industry will also be visiting Sri Lanka from August 14 to 16, 2012.

23 fishermen from Tamil Nadu arrested by Sri Lankan navy have been released. External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said this in New Delhi today that directions have been given to the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka to make all arrangements for the safe return of the fishermen.

For the first time after 30 years, a Tamil sub-titled version of a latest Sinhala film is set to be released at Raja Cinema in Jaffna on Friday .This an attempt to bring about hope and peace through the medium of cinema.

Earlier, Gokulan, a rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadre played the lead role in 'Selvam', a Sinhala film directed by Sanjaya Leelaratne. Gokulan , also had an opportunity to perform at Temple Trees , the official residence of the Sri Lankan President in front of a distinguished audience at an official function last year.

AIR correspondent adds Language had been one of the underlying issues in giving rise to the ethnic conflict which also led to the long separatist movement in Sri Lanka. Sinhala is spoken by the majority Sinhalese community in the country.

Authorities in Sri Lanka say they have arrested 131 would-be asylum seekers heading to Australia. Naval officials say they have seized the fishing trawler being used for the people-smuggling operation. The navy detected the boat carrying 109 people off the east coast and has escorted it to the port of Trincomalee. 

A police spokesman says they have arrested another 22 people suspected of preparing to leave the island illegally on a different trawler. The number of Sri Lankans detained on charges of illegally trying to leave the country has reached more than 250 over the last week.

Sri Lanka Navy said that they had intercepted a multi-day fishing trawler illegally headed for Australia in the seas 25 nautical miles off Kalkudah on Saturday .

All the persons onboard the intercepted trawler that included 109 males were brought to the Trincomalee Naval Base and handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department for further investigations .

The arrest, the highest of such kind, is the third made by the Navy within five days in Sri Lanka’s Eastern waters.

Another 22 people suspected of preparing to leave the island illegally on a different trawler, from Chilaw were also arrested by the Sri Lankan police in a separate incident Sunday morning.

The arrested persons are from Chilaw, Kalmunai, Kalpitiya, Thalawakelle and Valachchenai.

he United States says it will remain engaged with Sri Lanka despite some differences of opinion on the political front. 

In a message released in Colombo to mark America's Independence Day, the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka , Patricia Butenis said the Sri Lankan government has made progress on the resettlement issue and post war development and has also made great progress with the rehabilitation of ex-combatants.

She said demining is another significant achievement.

However, Butenis said there still remains a lot to be done and the U.S government stands ready to help Sri Lanka to move forward.

She said her government will continue with the development programmes with the public and private sector in Sri Lanka while helping especially the communities most affected by the conflict.

National Security Advisor Shiv Shanker Menon today called on the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa . Mr Menon, in his one-to-one meetings with the Sri Lankan leader has expressed India's concerns over the slow pace of devolution process and underlines the reconciliation issue and need for genuine political settlement of the Tamil question. 

A Bust of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore was today unveiled today by Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs of Sri Lanka in the presence of Ashok K. Kantha, High Commissioner of India and Prof. Kshanika Hirimburegama, Vice Chancellor, University of Colombo at the Main Library of the University of Colombo.

The Bronze Bust has been gifted by Ministry of Culture, Government of India on the occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. The greenish bronze bust is sculpted by Janak Jhankar Narzary, a renowned sculptor and Professor of Art History in Kala Bhavana, Visva-Bharati.

The unveiling of the bust marks end of year and half long celebrations of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore in Sri Lanka which included a series of events, including the issue of special postal stamps by the Sri Lankan government, release of a commemorative volume “Remembering Rabindranath Tagore”, a Tagore Film Festival focusing on the works of Gurudev Tagore and other cultural programmes associated with him.

National Security Advisor Shiv Shanker Menon is expected to visit Sri Lanka in the last week of June.

According to sources, Mr Menon’s visit to the island nation is more about the follow up of the United Nations Human Rights Council vote against Sri Lanka in its last session.

Sri Lanka has signed its largest foreign direct investment (FDI) deal valued  at four billion USD with an Indian company. According to the Sri Lankan government news portal , Gateway Industries, an Indian venture, will oversee operation and management of a special industrial zone for heavy industries in Trincomalee district in East of Sri Lanka.

Under the master plan a series of infrastructure facilities will be built for the project.The project is expected to create more than 5,000 direct employment opportunities and over 20,000 indirect employment opportunities.

ri Lanka today withdrew most of its troops from the capital Colombo citing improved security conditions, three years after the war with Tamil Tiger rebels had ended. Military spokesman Ruwan Wanigasooriya said the soldiers will remain only at a few selected locations in Colombo.

The Sri Lankan army defeated the rebels in May 2009 after 30 years of war and gradually began reducing the heavy military presence in and around Colombo. Most of the emergency laws which were in place during the war were also removed and several roads which were closed for security reasons were re-opened. The army headquarters located in Colombo is also being shifted outside the city to make way for star class hotels.

Thailand has assured that it will give its fullest support to develop agriculture, fisheries and educational sectors of Sri Lanka. The assurance was given by the Thai Prime Minister Mrs. Yingluck Shinawatra during a meeting with the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa , who is currently on a four day state visit to Thailand.

The Thai Premier while reminding about the long standing historical and Buddhist relationship between the two countries has said that both countries should work jointly on Buddhist and Cultural activities.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today arrived at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok for a four-day visit to Thailand. He was received by Thailand's Vice Prime Minister Yongyoot Wichaidit at the airport

During his visit President Rajapaksa will meet Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and exchange views on bilateral relations, as well as on regional and multilateral issues.

President is also scheduled to have a royal audience with Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.