The University of Sri Jayewardenepura met with representatives of the Indian High Commission, Sri Lanka on the 22nd of March at the Administrative Building Boardroom. The Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Prof. Sampath Amaratunge and the representatives discussed ways and means of strengthening the relationship between the Indian High Commission and the University.
The Representatives of the Indian High Commission expressed their desire to host a number of activities such as a Yoga Day, Indian Day, an Indian- Sri Lanka film festival and many more.
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura gives prominence to cultural enhancement within the university. Being facilitated with the rich Department of Languages, Cultural Studies and Performing Arts, students of the university gains significant exposure to languages like Hindi, Pali, and Sanskrit. The University also provides extensive units on Indian aesthetics such as dancing and music.
“The University has many centres from various different countries within the university working to provide students with cultural exposure and opportunities. However India being our neighbour, we have not established a centre within the University from the Indian High Commission. This is a gap I hope to bridge in the near future with your help,” The Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Prof. Sampath Amaratunge said at the meeting.
He further stated that the students of the university are very passionate about attributes in of Indian Pop Culture. He stated that the demand is high for Bollywood films and Indian music.
“Youth in general are restless, they like to explore, learn and entertain themselves. As a university we offer our students the best of education, yet they also should be provided with outlets to release their energy to relax and enjoy. The University hosts an array of activities and events to engage students, and as the demand for Indian cultural activities are high at the University, I believe our students will have much to gain through an Indian Cultural Centre within the university,” He said.
The representatives of the Indian High Commission while agreeing with the notions of the Vice Chancellor stated that the events that are to be organized should be more frequent so as to provide students with the opportunity to engage with the culture more and reap the benefits.
“We hope to begin several yoga workshops all around the country and would like to conduct a few at the university. India and Sri Lanka are already linked; we should continue to maintain our relationship and collaborate so as to gain mutual benefits. We look forward for a fruitful year ahead,” they said.
