Sri Lankan-Born Astrophysicist Ray Jayawardhana: A Trailblazing Journey to the Presidency of Caltech
In a momentous announcement that resonates deeply within the global Sri Lankan community, Dr. Ray Jayawardhana, a distinguished astrophysicist born and raised in Sri Lanka, has been appointed as the 10th president of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), one of the world’s foremost institutions for science and engineering. This historic appointment, revealed on January […]
Sri Lanka’s Main Railway and the Limits of a Colonial Alignment
Sri Lanka’s repeated railway disruptions following extreme weather events have renewed scrutiny of a long-standing structural issue: the continued reliance on a railway corridor designed in the 19th century for a colonial economy, rather than a modern, climate-resilient transport system. Cyclone Ditwah did not introduce a new failure into the system. Instead, it highlighted vulnerabilities […]
IMF Signals Expanded Support as Sri Lanka Faces Severe Economic Shock After Cyclone
Economic implications, recovery priorities, and fiscal outlook Sri Lanka is once again confronting economic turbulence this time not from external debt markets or inflationary pressures, but from nature itself. The recent cyclone and severe flooding have disrupted daily life, forced mass displacement, damaged infrastructure, and halted business activity across several provinces. Early estimates from disaster-management […]
Google Pay in Sri Lanka! What It Means for Everyday Sri Lankans?
Sri Lanka’s financial landscape has taken a historic step forward. Commercial Bank of Ceylon, in partnership with Visa, has introduced Google Pay for its Visa debit and credit cardholders. For the first time, Sri Lankans can add their cards to Google Wallet and make secure, tokenised payments across contactless NFC terminals, mobile apps, and online […]
Is the New Bank Policy on Pledged Land Choking SMEs?
Small and medium enterprises form the backbone of Sri Lanka’s economy. They account for more than 75% of all businesses and contribute significantly to employment, regional development, and post-crisis recovery. Yet, as the country struggles to regain economic stability, a new challenge is emerging one that is rarely discussed but deeply consequential. Banks have tightened […]
Harnessing the Sun: Why Sri Lanka Should Embrace Solar Power, Government Support or Not
Why Sri Lanka Should Embrace Solar Power? – In the sweltering heat of the tropics, where the sun beats down relentlessly year-round, Sri Lanka sits on a goldmine of untapped renewable energy. With average solar irradiance levels exceeding 5 kWh/m² per day among the highest in South Asia the island nation has the potential to […]
Aadhaar Data Breach: Why India’s Digital ID Dream Turned Nightmare and What Sri Lanka Must Avoid
Imagine a single 12-digit number that promises to unlock welfare, banking, and voting for 1.4 billion people. That was Aadhaar in 2009. Sixteen years later, the world’s largest biometric database is a cautionary tale of over-promised efficiency, under-delivered security, and millions left behind. As Sri Lanka races toward its own SL-UDI rollout in 2026, India’s […]
Sri Lanka’s Lifeline Abroad: Rethinking Migration and Remittance Policy
For decades the outflow of Sri Lankan workers and the inflow of their remittances have been crucial to the country’s external stability. Today this reality merits a deeper policy overhaul: the flows are large, evolving, and carry both economic benefits and social costs. The Economic Importance Workers’ remittances into Sri Lanka remain a major source […]
Sri Lanka’s Proposed Smartphone Ban for Minors: Intervention or a Misguided Move?
In a move that has stirred both applause and concern, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Women and Child Affairs recently proposed a nationwide ban on smartphone use for children under the age of 12. The rationale is clear: protect young minds from the adverse effects of screen addiction, online exploitation, and developmental delays. But as the […]
Sri Lanka’s Digital Economy: The Next Frontier of Inclusive Growth
Sri Lanka’s digital transformation is quietly rewriting the rules of its economy. What began as a survival mechanism during the COVID-19 pandemic has now evolved into a structural shift reshaping how citizens consume, work, and interact with markets. According to the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) State of the Economy 2025 report, the island’s digital […]