High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India, Mahishini Colonne, participated in a Fireside Chat on 23 August 2026 at the 56th Annual Convention of the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), held in Varanasi from 21–23 August 2026.
Held under the theme “Ananta Kashi: Leading the Future of Tourism through Spirit, Culture, Cuisine, and Craft,” the Convention brought together leading stakeholders from India's hospitality and tourism sectors, as well as policymakers and representatives from across the tourism ecosystem.
In conversation with Ms. Ankita Jaiswal, Chairperson, Sustainable & Responsible Tourism, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Northern India (HRANI) and Uttar Pradesh Hotel & Restaurant Association (UPHRA), the High Commissioner highlighted the deep historical, spiritual and cultural connections between India and Sri Lanka and the potential to translate these enduring bonds into greater tourism and people-to-people exchanges.
Reflecting on the significance of Varanasi for Sri Lankan travellers, including Hindu and Buddhist travellers, the High Commissioner highlighted the close connection with Sarnath, where the Buddha delivered his first sermon, and the longstanding tradition of Sri Lankan pilgrims visiting the sacred Buddhist sites of India.
She also drew attention to the two-way nature of the historical relationship between the two countries, including the role played by Sri Lankan chronicles in helping scholars identify the historical Emperor Ashoka through their connection with the name Piyadasi found in Ashokan inscriptions.
The High Commissioner noted the exceptionally strong goodwill that exists between the peoples of the two countries. She cited a recent Pew Research Center survey covering 36 countries, in which 79% of Sri Lankans expressed a favourable view of India – the highest favourable rating for India among the countries surveyed.
The discussion also focused on the role of culture and craft in tourism, with the High Commissioner highlighting Sri Lanka's rich cultural heritage, including its eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, traditional crafts, textiles, cuisine, performing arts and living traditions.
She emphasised the importance of tourism that supports the communities and artisans who sustain cultural traditions, noting the potential for India and Sri Lanka to expand cooperation through craft and textile exchanges, culinary experiences, artisan-to-artisan engagement and other forms of cultural tourism.
The conversation also explored the shared culinary traditions of India and Sri Lanka and the ways in which distinctive food, craft, culture and spirituality can create meaningful experiences for travellers while strengthening understanding between the peoples of the two countries.
The High Commissioner's participation in the 56th FHRAI Annual Convention provided an opportunity to further highlight the potential for India – Sri Lanka tourism cooperation, building on the countries' shared civilisational heritage, strong people-to-people ties and growing opportunities for collaboration between their tourism and hospitality sectors.
High Commission of Sri Lanka
New Delhi
27 August 2026