Sajith, SJB face gathering political storm

The leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa and his party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) are very much in the news lately.

Versatile and vibrant playback singer TMS

Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin (MK Stalin) the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu State in India, unveiled the name board of a road with a new name on March 24 2023.

With IMF boost, Ranil will target 2024 Presidential poll

Friday, March 24 was the 74th birthday of Ranil Sriyan Wickremesinghe. The Sri Lankan President was born in Colombo on 24 March 1949.

How Lanka’s National anthem was amended due to superstition

Sri Lanka is presently experiencing a tremendous economic crisis. Several knowledgeable persons describe the current period as the worst-ever phase in the Island nation’s 75-year post-Independence history.

Defeat in Ananthapuram Battle denoted the LTTE’s end

Many battles were fought during the long war between the Sri Lankan armed forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Among these was the five-day battle fought at Ananthapuram in the Mullaitheevu District from March 31 to April 4, 2009.

Fake news fraud using Prabha and family

Members of a dozen Sri Lankan Tamil families gathered in the evening at the residence of a fellow Tamil in Switzerland in early November 2022.

Jaffna gets State of the Art Cultural Centre from India

Jaffna City the capital of Sri Lanka’s predominantly Tamil speaking northern province was described as the cultural capital of the Tamils of Sri Lanka during its halcyon days.

Upali: Mighty magnate with Midas touch

40 years ago on February 13, 1983, a privately owned Lear jet flew out of Malaysia’s Subang Airport at 8.41 p.m. with six on board.

75 Years of Independence and the Tamils of Sri Lanka

The resplendent Island of Sri Lanka celebrates her seventy-fifth anniversary of Independence from Britain today - February 4th 2023.

Jeevan sets a record as Lanka’s youngest-ever Cabinet Minister

Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and Nuwara-Eliya district MP Jeevan Kumaravel Thondaman, was inducted as Cabinet Minister into the Government headed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe last week.

TNA was Born in 2001 Due to Elections Shock of 2000

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) with 10 seats in Parliament is currently facing an internal crisis.

Canada’s targeted sanctioning of Gota and Mahinda

History was made last week when two former executive presidents of Sri Lanka were sanctioned by the Government of Canada.

Lasantha was a Fearless Editor who Spoke Truth to Power

Friends,Family members, colleagues, schoolmates and admirers of Lasantha Wickrematunge are scheduled to meet on Sunday January 8th at the Kanatte cemetery in Borella.

President Ranil’s initiative to resolve Tamil national question

Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) leader and Colombo District MP, Mano Ganesan received a telephone call from Ranil Wickremesinghe on 19 July 2022

Murugeysen Tiruchelvam and Koneswaram Issue

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader and Trincomalee district MP Rajavarothayam Sampanthan wrote a politically important letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe on September 14, 2022. In that detailed missive, the veteran Tamil MP pinpointed several measures being enacted under the current regime affecting th

Downfall and death of LTTE’s Mahathaya

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ceased to exist as a functioning entity after its military defeat on the shores of Nandhikkadal lagoon in May 2009.

How and why MGR launched ADMK 50 years ago

17 October 1972 was a Tuesday. Fifty years ago on that auspicious day, a new political party was launched in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Amitabh Bachchan: Evergreen Emperor of Hindi cinema turns 80

Well-known Hindi film actor Amitabh Bachchan celebrated his eightieth birthday on October 11. The veteran thespian continues to be active,

MHM Ashraff; From Muslim Leader to National Statesman

On the fateful morning of 16th September 2000, Mohammed Hussein Muhammad Ashraff(MHM Ashraff) boarded a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Mi-17 helicopter at the Police grounds in Bambalapitiya.

Pop Singer A. E. Manoharan Flopped as a Film Actor

Blessed are those Sri Lankans who have lived in different parts of the country, travelled widely within its borders and interacted with all people cutting across ethnic and religious barriers during times of peace and tranquillity in the past. Those who have had such broad experiences unsullied by narrow sectarianism know that the Island is truly “God’s own country” populated by friendly, good-natured people.

Appapillai Amirthalingam From Enfant Terrible to Elder Statesman

Friday August 26th was the 95th birth anniversary of well-known Sri Lankan Tamil political leader and one-time leader of the opposition Appapillai Amirthalingam.

Wickremesinghe, Alahapperuma and the 2022 Presidential Election

Leon Trotsky famously observed, “Politics is more like algebra than like elementary arithmetic, and still more like higher rather than elementary mathematics”. The recent election of President Ranil Wickremesinghe by Sri Lankan members of Parliament appears to be an illustrative example of Trotsky’s statement about Politics being more like Algebra than Arithmetic.

Versatile Filmmaker Vasantha Obeysekera’s “Dadayama” (The Hunt)

Devoting the first Saturday article of each month to a film, film personality or film-related topic is a practice being followed by this column in recent times.

Tamil Parties Must Urge Full Implementation of 13A

Last week’s article was about the guerilla war fought by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) against the Indian Army in the Trincomalee district.

How Kumar Gunaratnam alias “Gemunu” Fought  against the Indian Army

The India – Sri Lanka Accord was signed by former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and ex-Sri Lanka president Junius Richard (JR) Jayewardene on July 29,

FSP Leader Kumar Gunaratnam and his “Aragalaya”

“Gota Go Home” was the clarion call around which the people launched their “Aragalaya” or Struggle. It has achieved its primary goal.

Kamal Haasan returns to cinema with blockbuster ‘Vikram’

Gotabaya, Ranil and the Frog and Scorpion Fable

Let me rewind back to my boyhood when I first read the fable about the scorpion and frog which I believe is of Russian origin.

Re-visiting the “Sniper” killing of Robert 19 years ago

The armed struggle launched by Tamil militant groups to achieve the objective of a separate Tamil state caused massive loss of life and bloodshed.

“Que Sera Sera”: Doris Day’s Song of Cheerful Fatalism

The first part of my article on Ranil’s return was published in the “Daily Mirror”of May 21st 2022. In that I made a brief reference to the song “Que Sera Sera” sung by the American singer com actress Doris Day. This was in the context of speculation about Ranil Wickremesinghe’s political future. This is what I wrote then – “However as Doris Day sang in ‘The man who knew too much’ movie- “Que Sera, Sera, Whatever will be, will be.”