Quick Look

Senior Presidential Advisor and UPFA Gampaha District leader Basil Rajapaksa participated in a series of public meetings held in Katana electorate on Saturday. Here Basil Rajapaksa greeting a group of people gathered at the meeting. Katana SLFP chief organizer Dr. Sudarshanee Fernandopulle was also present. Picture by Chaminda Hiththatiya

UPFA Hambantota District candidate Namal Rajapaksa visited Suriyawewa fair recently. Here Rajapaksa mingles with the crowd at a stall.

International Conference

The ‘12th International Conference on Sri Lanka Studies’ will be held from March 18 to 20 with the main theme ‘Sri Lanka after the war: Prevention of recurrence, reaching for prosperity’. Around 300 presentations and papers will also be included on the Northern and Eastern Provinces. It is organized jointly by the Royal Asiatic Society and the Open University of Sri Lanka. It is open to the public by registration.

Late registration begins at 8.00 a.m on March 18 at the Mahaweli Centre Auditorium, 96, Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 7. Contact 0112 699249.

Buddhist panel discussion

The next Buddhist public panel discussion of the Colombo YMBA will be on Sunday March 21 at 10 a.m. at its Borella building on “Some Techniques for Meditators”. The Panelists are Prof. Raja de Alwis and Asoka Jayasinha with Rajah Kuruppu as moderator. All are welcome”.

Maha Kumbhabisheka pooja ceremony

A Maha Kumbhabisheka pooja ceremony held at the Sri Rajarajeshwari Ambal temple, Crows Island, Mutwal from March 17 to 30 for the benefit of devotees of Ambal.

The program as follows: March 17 - 5 a.m. Invocation to Gana deviyo, reading of the Kumbhabisheka paper, hoisting the national flag and prasada pooja March 18 - 9 a.m. - special rituals followed by oil pooja and prasada pooja. March 19 - 4 a.m. Maha Purnakuri, Thirukudamulukku and Pushpanjali 6 a.m. - 7.48 a.m. - pooja to gods and Thirikudamulukku followed by Maha Abhisheka and Maheshwara pooja.

March 23 to 29 - Daily Mandala Abhisheka and March 30 - Maha Sanghabhishekam.

Seminar on Meditation

A two day seminar on Raja Yoga meditation will be held from 20 to 21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Centre, 55, Peter’s Lane, Dehiwala.

All Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Centre programs are free. Contact 011-2717552.

Rotary Fiesta

The 19th Rotary District Conference and Fiesta will be held on March 19 and 20, which will bring together almost 1,000 Rotarians from all Rotary Clubs in Sri Lanka together with representatives of Rotary Clubs in India and other countries.

the Rotary Club of Colombo West in Rotary District 3220 will host a spectacular Fiesta with a difference on March 20 at Waters Edge from 7.30 p.m. to celebrate the event.

The theme of the fiesta will be an open carnival, with musical and fashion shows with Sri Lanka’s top models.

AGM

The Nalanda Junior Old Boys’ Association Annual General Meeting 2009/2010 will be held at Colombo New Town Hall (Near the Colombo Public Library) on March 21 from 2 p.m.

It will be held under the patronage of former Principal, Nalanda College Hemantha Premathilake, Additional Secretary, Education Ministry.

Felicitation

The Walawa Basin Journalists’ Association will felicitate two journalists and two social workers in the Embilipitiya area at a special meeting by the Association at Dutugemunu Park, Chandrika Wewa in Embilipitiya today at 10 a.m.

Educational tour ends in tragedy

Sandasen Marasinghe

A 16-year-old girl who went for an educational tour to Anuradhapura drowned in the Nuwara Lake Sunday. The student M.P. Thilani Nivesika was a student of Walahanduwa President's College, Walahanduwa. The postmortem was conducted yesterday.

Anuradhapura Police are investigating.

Book launch:

Gananduraka Sihiwatana

Gananduraka Sihiwatana a book on the final stages of the Eelam struggle, co-authored by Prof. G. H. Pieris and Prof. M. D. Nelson of the Peradeniya University’s Geography Department will be launched at a ceremony at the SLFI, Colombo on March 23 at 3.30 p.m. Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara will preside.

Puravidya Chakravarti Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera, UGC Chairman Prof. Gamini Samaranayake Kelaniya University’s Prof. Nalin de Silva and Attorney-at-Law Gomin Dayasiri will deliver special lectures.

Gananduraka Sihiwatana’ is a Visidunu publication.

Book launch

The Story of Sybil Wettasinghe a book by former Daily News Journalist and award winning writer Vijita Fernando and the Sinhala translation of the book titled Lova Dinu Sittarawa by Piyawathie Jayasuriya will be launched at a function at the BMICH Restaurant today at 3.00 p.m.

The function will be chaired by Dr. Leel Gunasekara. Prof Nimal de Silva. J.R.P. Suriyapperuma will address the function.

Daily News Buddha Pradeepa 2010

The closing date for articles for the Daily News Buddha Pradeepa 2010 Annual published by ANCL has been extended to March 30. Articles that are not selected for the Annual will be considered for Buddhist Spectrum pages. Please send your articles (confined to 800 words) to: Daily News Buddha Pradeepa 2010, 35, D.R. Wijewardena Mawatha, Colombo 10. Email:

[email protected]

Solve your health problems now!

The Daily News is ready to answer all your health related problems.

We will forward your health problems to qualified doctors in relevant fields attached to the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry, Health Education Bureau and get answers for your problems. Email your problems and queries on health in brief to

[email protected]

Teacher thrown off tractor dies

A teacher who went in a tractor to fetch building materials was killed when the tractor developed engine trouble and he was thrown out hitting his head on the concrete road. He was on his way to bring materials to put up tents for the inter-house sports meet at Nayakawatta Kanishta Vidyalaya, Getamanna, Beliatte.

The teacher identified as Upali Jayawardene (40) of Akurugoda, Kamburupitiya.