India and Sri Lanka signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide modern infrastructural facilities to Swami Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies of Eastern University in Batticaloa district of Sri Lanka. The project involves refurbishment of the auditorium and construction of a modern building complex with recording cum editing facilities and supply vehicles to the institute through a grant of over 27 crore Sri Lankan rupees from the Government of India.

The MoU was signed by High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and M.M.P.K. Mayadunne, Secretary, Minister of City Planning, Water Supply and Higher Education. Minister of City Planning, Water Supply and Higher Education Abdul Rauff Hakeem and senior officials were present on the occasion.

This project is part of Government of India’s continued efforts to assist and cooperate with Government of Sri Lanka in people-oriented development projects. India’s overall commitment of development assistance to Sri Lanka stands at a total of around 3 billion US dollars, out of which 560 million is pure grant assistance.

Tidbits:

• Sri Lanka is geographically separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.
• The legislative capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, is a suburb of the commercial capital and largest city, Colombo.
• The majority of the population is from the Sinhalese ethnicity, while a large minority of Tamils have also played an influential role in the island’s history.
• Sri Lanka was the first Asian country known to have a female ruler: Anula of Anuradhapura.
• Ancient Sri Lanka was the first country in the world to establish a dedicated hospital, in Mihintale in the 4th century.
• Sinhalese and Tamil are the two official languages of Sri Lanka.
• The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (formerly Radio Ceylon) is the oldest-running radio station in Asia, established in 1923 by Edward Harper just three years after broadcasting began in Europe.