Good afternoon.
Namaskar. Ayubowan. Vanakkam
It gives me great pleasure to welcome all of you to the Residence of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi.
I warmly welcome the students, teachers, Rotarians, and all our guests.
Today, we celebrate the successful completion of the Sri Lanka Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) Project – an initiative supported by the India–Sri Lanka Foundation and implemented by the Rotary Club of Delhi Resources, and participating schools across Delhi NCR.
This project is about much more than learning facts about Sri Lanka. It is about fostering curiosity, and understanding among young people – the very foundations of strong and lasting relations between our two countries.
I am delighted that more than 330 students from five schools participated in this initiative through essays, paintings and other creative expressions. Your enthusiasm and imagination have made this project a remarkable success.
The India – Sri Lanka Foundation was established in 1998 by the Governments of India and Sri Lanka with a simple but powerful vision – to strengthen the friendship between the peoples of our two countries through education, culture, science, technology and research, and much more. While governments build partnerships through dialogue and cooperation, it is people-to-people connections that give those partnerships their true strength and meaning.
This project is a wonderful example of that vision in action. Every student who has learnt something new about Sri Lanka, every teacher who encouraged that curiosity, and every school that participated has helped bring our two countries a little closer together. I hope we will continue to see many more initiatives of this nature, reaching even more schools, universities, artists, researchers, and young people across India and Sri Lanka.
To all the prize winners, my heartfelt congratulations. But I would also like to congratulate every student who participated, because that is what matters the most. Curiosity is the beginning of understanding, and understanding is the foundation of friendship.
I had the opportunity to read some of your essays, and I must say I was genuinely impressed. You did not simply write about Sri Lanka – you reflected on the relationship between our two countries with insight, creativity and warmth.
One student described India and Sri Lanka as "a 2,500-year-old dialogue between two countries." Another wrote that "the Palk Strait was not a barrier but a bridge." I thought that was a beautiful image. Geography may separate us by a narrow stretch of water, but history, culture and shared values have always connected us.
One essay described Sri Lanka as "A Tapestry of Resilience and Radiance," while another spoke of the "timeless ties of art, trade, technology and culture connecting India and Sri Lanka." These are thoughtful observations that reflect maturity well beyond your years.
Perhaps my favourite line was the simplest. A student concluded, "India and Sri Lanka are friends forever." Sometimes the simplest words express the greatest truth.
Our two countries have shared a close relationship for over two millennia – through faith, knowledge, trade, learning, literature, culture and the movement of people across the seas. Today, that friendship continues to flourish through education, tourism, business, technology and the countless interactions between our peoples.
Dear students, you are the next generation of that relationship. The friendships you build, the curiosity you nurture, and the understanding you develop today will shape the future of India – Sri Lanka relations tomorrow.
I encourage all of you to continue learning about Sri Lanka. Read out stories, discover our history, explore our culture and traditions, and I hope that one day many of you will visit Sri Lanka. I am confident that when you do, you will find not only a beautiful Island, but also lifelong friends.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Mr. Sunil Day and the Rotary Club of Delhi Resources for their vision and dedication, to the principals, teachers and jury members for their commitment, and to all the parents for encouraging their children to participate.
Dear students,
Today you receive certificates and prizes. But more importantly, you take home something even more valuable – knowledge, understanding and friendship. These are the qualities that will strengthen the relationship between India and Sri Lanka for generations to come.
Congratulations to every one of you. Continue to be curious, continue to learn, and continue to build bridges of friendship wherever life takes you, and remember that you will always have a warm welcome waiting for you in Sri Lanka.
Thank you, and I wish you every success in the years ahead.