What has the Foundation achieved?

Though only five years old, the Foundation has made substantial progress in terms of implementing a large variety of projects aimed at promoting bilateral cooperation. Despite limited resources in terms of funds and human resources availability, the Foundation has made a significant impact on strengthening people to people contacts between in diverse fields through the various projects implemented by it.

The Board of Directors of the Foundation has held 13 meetings so far to discuss new proposals for possible funding and to review progress of ongoing projects. Regular meetings have enabled the Board to reflect on experiences and suggest corrective measures where necessary.

The Foundation has been successful in implementing a large number of projects without having to go through long procedures or approvals. This has helped the Foundation to maintain a high standard of efficiency and achieve quick results.

Colombo Secretariat:

Since inception in 1998, the Colombo Secretariat has implemented 53 projects at a cost of SLR. 14,802,891.00 Of the 86 projects, 38 have been in the cultural field, 31 in academics, 10 in the health sector, 4 in science & technology and 3 in archaeology.

(a) Culture:

Though a majority of the projects implemented have been on the cultural field, in terms of expenditure, amount spent on cultural projects taken together has been much lower than the amount spent on academic projects.

Thirty-eight cultural projects have been implemented so far amounting to a total expenditure of SLR. 5,639,594. Of these, 14 have been in the area of music and dance, given the vast amount of interest in Indian forms of dance and music in Sri Lanka. In addition, projects covering journalism, photography, films, art, painting, literature, drama, yoga, cultural visits and exhibitions have also been implemented. An important project undertaken relates to short-term secondment of young Sri Lankan journalists in reputed publishing houses in India to enhance their writing skills and provide them hands-on experience in reporting.

(b) Academics:

Projects on the academic field have aimed at establishing long-term links between academicians of the two countries through joint research, exchange of visits, participation in workshops and seminars, etc. 31 academic projects have been implemented with a total expenditure of SLR. 6,591,852. Again, the projects implemented have covered a diverse range of subjects, ranging from history to economics, agriculture, political science and Information Technology. A joint research study was undertaken by senior professors of the Department of History, University of Peradeniya, in collaboration with prominent Indian historians on Indo-Lanka relations in the pre-modern times leading to a mutually beneficial exchange of information and ideas. The Foundation is now looking at ways to assist publication of the research papers that resulted from this project.

(c) Health:

The health sector projects implemented by the Colombo Secretariat have assisted in enhancing the expertise of medical practitioners in Sri Lanka by sponsoring their participation in workshops and sending them for training programmes to India in areas such as laproscopic surgery, ophthalmic diseases, forensic medicine, endoscopic sinus surgery, MRI, etc. 10 such projects have been implemented at a total cost of SLR. 1,831,121 . A project is being implemented by the Department of Parasitology, University of Peradeniya, in collaboration with JIPMER, Pondicherry, on low cost technology transfer for detection of Parasitic diseases. Another important project relates to the deputation of Indian Ayurveda consultants to the Gampaha Ayurveda Institute in Sri Lanka over a period of 3 years to teach short-term academic courses at the post graduate level.


(d) Science and Technology:

In the science and technology field, projects implemented by the Colombo Secretariat have covered areas of post harvest technology, veterinary science and electric power generation systems. The Foundation is actively trying to assist the Peradeniya and Moratuwa Universities in obtaining the services of faculty from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to teach short-term courses in computer engineering. It is also making efforts to identify mutually beneficial areas of cooperation in science and technology in consultation with the scientific communities of the two countries and to act as a catalyst in promoting closer cooperation in this sector.

(e) Archaeology:

In the field of archaeology, the Foundation facilitated the visit of an Indian expert to undertake preliminary conservation work of George Keyt paintings at the Gothami Viharaya in Sri Lanka.

New Delhi Secretariat:

Since inception, New Delhi Secretariat has implemented 32 projects involving a sum of INR. 3,032,905. During the year 2000, the Foundation was in the process of establishing the respective Secretariats. It launched an initial public awareness campaign and extended financial assistance for organizing a workshop on University Education Management and Development for Vice-Chancellors from India and Sri Lanka that was held at Chennai. The Foundation also made a contribution of INR. 100,000 to Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam in Kanchipuram in order to support a training program for six Sri Lankan students at Agama Patasala and extended financial assistance for Sri Lankan Artists under the Khoj International Artist's Exchange Programme held at New Delhi.

From the 32 projects that New Delhi has funded, 6 projects in the field of archaeology were extended financial assistance of up to INR. 317,425. An amount of INR. 118,416 was extended to 3 projects in the field of science & technology that included deputation of an expert in the field of power and energy to advice the Government of Sri Lanka on alternative sources of energy. An expert from the National Informatics Centre, New Delhi was also deputed to advise on curriculum development for Computer Science. Proposals in the field of Art & Culture received an amount of INR. 565,651 involving 11 projects. Projects in the field of academics received financial assistance of INR. 2,031,413 involving 12 proposals.

The list of projects are attached.

Annexure A

Annexure B