Colombo, May 12 (newsin.asia): In a path-breaking initiative, the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, has launched a program to help Indian and Sri Lankan schools forge links with each other so that people to people relations between India and Sri Lanka are established at a young and impressionable age.
Late last month, the High Commission of India facilitated a Youth Exchange Program for students of two famous schools, The Lawrence School, Sanawar, India (established in 1847) and Royal College in Colombo (established in 1835).
A student delegation from Sanawar, led by Headmaster Vinay Pande, comprising two teachers and four students from Class 12, visited Sri Lanka from April 26 to 30.
In Colombo, the delegation called on Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe, who is an Old Royalist. It interacted with students and faculty of Royal College and had an exposure to the curricular as well as extra-curricular activities of the prestigious Sri Lankan institution.
The delegation also visited Richmond College in Galle.
The young visitors saw the Temple of the Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) in Kandy and witnessed the Vesak day celebrations in Colombo. They interacted with wood craftsmen and local artisans.
The exchange program is intended to open new avenues for both the schools and strengthen cultural, educational and people to people ties between two countries.
The Lawrence School of Sanawar in Shimla Hills will be hosting students from Royal College in the coming months as part of youth and students exchange program.
Apt Choice
The choice of Lawrence School Sanawar and Royal College in Colombo to set the ball rolling is significant.
Both schools represent the best in the school level educational system in the two countries. And Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu is an Old Boy of Lawrence School Sanawar.
Sandhu is one of the distinguished products of the school which has produced a legion of diplomats, civil servants, Generals and corporate honchos from the time it was established in 1847.
Lawrence School Sanawar, founded by the distinguished soldier-administrator, Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence, was India’s first public school, as indeed, Royal College was, in Sri Lanka.
Lawrence Was Already Connected to Sri Lanka
Lawrence School Sanawar has an uncanny connection with Sri Lanka. Its founder, Sir Henry Lawrence was born in Matara, in the southern most part of Sri Lanka, on June 28, 1806.
Royal College, Colombo, was selected as “one of best innovative colleges” in the world by Microsoft in 2009.
True to its name “Royal”, the school has produced many distinguished persons, including two Presidents, J.R.Jayewardene of Sri Lanka and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom,of the Maldives; two Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka, Sir John Kotelawala and Ranil Wickremesinghe, and a Sultan, Mohamed Fareed Didi of the Maldives.
(The featured image at the top is that of Royal College in Colombo)
