Sri Lanka

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Flag
Location  Asia
Capital  Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte
Area  65,610 sq km
Population  22,576,592

"A fish always rots from the head down"
(Proverb/Quote of the Week)

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January

January 1 Sri Lanka became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), an organization commenced to deal with the rules of trade between nations, on 1 January 1995. In 1958 the private bus services were nationalized and the Ceylon Transport Board was formed consequently. January 2 January 3 The world's biggest blue star sapphire to date — weighing in at 1,404.49 carats and worth at least $100 million -- has been found in a mine in Sri Lanka, as announced on 3 January 2016. Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara became the fastest player to reach 12,000 runs in Test cricket in his 224th Test innings - and only the fifth to reach the landmark, during his side's second Test in New Zealand on 3 January 2015. January 4 January 5 January 6 January 7 January 8 January 9 January 10 January 11 January 12 January 13 January 14 January 15 January 16 Sri Lanka, jointly with Iran, received the top prize at the Energy Globe World Awards in the category of Water on 16 January 2018, an annual award to recognise projects that 'make careful and economical use of resources and employ alternative energy sources.' January 17 January 18 January 19 January 20 A tree frog, named Frankixalus jerdonii, thought to be extinct for 137 years has been rediscovered in the jungles of north-eastern India by a team of international researchers including Sri Lankan scientists. Their finding was described in a paper published in the journal PLOS ONE on 20 January 2016. January 21 January 22 Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals hit a record high in 2012, surpassing the previous year's peak, according to government data showed on 22 January 2013. The number of visitors has risen annually in the past 44 months since a 25-year civil war ended in May 2009. January 23 January 24 January 25 January 26 Sri Lankan authorities on 26 January 2016 destroyed more than 359 African elephant tusks worth more than 350 million Sri Lankan rupees, in a firm pledge to protect the species. January 27 January 28 In year 2002 the Sri Lankan music maestro Dr. W.D. Amaradeva has been conferred the decoration of Padma Sri by the President of India on the occasion of the Republic Day of India. January 29 January 30 January 31

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February

February 1 February 2 In 1902 the 1st mortorcar was imported to the island. February 3 February 4 The newspaper entitled, "The Observer and Commercial Advertiser", was first published in 1832. This is the commencement of the Observer newspaper, which is still published in Sri Lanka. On 4th of February 1948 the country gained its independence as the Dominion of Ceylon from Britain. February 5 February 6 February 7 February 8 February 9 Sri Lankan sprinters RMRK Rathnayaka and Himasha Eashan became the fastest woman and man of the 12th South Asian Games, winning gold in the 100m sprint events at the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium in Guwahati on 9 February 2016. February 10 February 11 February 12 February 13 In 1982,the Sri Lankan cricket team played the first ever One Day International (ODI) match against England at Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground. February 14 February 15 February 16 Sri Lanka and India on 16 February 2015 signed bilateral agreements on civil nuclear cooperation, cultural cooperation and cooperation in the field of Agriculture during Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena four-day visit to India. February 17 February 18 February 19 February 20 February 21 February 22 February 23 Sri Lanka made cricket history by becoming the first Asian team to seal a Test series win 2-0 in South Africa with an eight-wicket win in the second test on 23 February 2019. February 24 February 25 February 26 February 27 February 28 February 29

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March

March 1 March 2 March 3 March 4 On 4th of March 2010 the Sri Lankan actress Malini Fonseka ("Queen of Sinhalese cinema") was named by CNN as one of 25 leading film stars in Asia. March 5 March 6 March 7 Marini de Livera, a pro bono lawyer for women and child victims of crime, was honoured with the 2019 International Women of Courage (IWOC) Award by the United States. Sri Lanka’s Anil Prasanna Jayalath Yodha Pedige won gold in the men’s 200m T42 race at the 2016 Paralympic Asia-Oceania Championships in Dubai. March 8 Sri Lankan cricket team won the 2014 Asia Cup title with a five-wicket win over holders Pakistan in the final. March 9 March 10 March 11 Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara became the first batsman to score four consecutive one-day cricket centuries as he scored 124 runs against Scotland at the 2015 World Cup in Hobart. His previous tons in the same tournament were against Bangladesh, England and Australia. March 12 March 13 Sri Lanka and India on 13 March 2015 signed four pacts - agreement on visa on arrival for Sri Lankans visiting India, customs, youth development and building Rabindranath Tagore memorial at Ruhuna University in Matara - during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Sri Lanka, the first bilateral tour by an Indian premier in 28 years. March 14 March 15 March 16 March 17 The Sri Lanka Cricket team won the 1996 ICC Cricket World cup defeating Australia in the final match held at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan. March 18 March 19 March 20 In 1972 National Savings Bank (NSB), a state-owned savings bank was established. March 21 March 22 March 23 March 24 March 25 March 26 March 27 Sri Lanka is one of the 11 South Asian countries declared polio-free by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 27 March 2014. The region has been maintaining its polio-free status for the last 3 years. March 28 In1962 the first Sri Lankan Tamil film "Thottakkari" (Plantation Woman) was released at nine theatres. The film did not exceed two weeks at the first run. It had several technical defects. March 29 Sandya Eknelygoda, a symbol of the search for justice and reconciliation in Sri Lanka, was honoured with the United States Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award 2017. March 30 March 31

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April

April 1 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Hatton National Bank (HNB) of Sri Lanka signed a $100 million loan agreement on 1 April 2015 which will help expand infrastructure development in the country in the field of energy, solid waste management, telecommunications, transport, and water and sanitation. April 2 April 3 April 4 A new species of giant tarantula spider, Poecilotheria rajaei, is discovered in Sri Lanka, as reported on 4 April 2013. Scientists found the spiders — with a leg span up to 8 inches across — living in trees in northern Sri Lanka. April 5 April 6 Sri Lanka lifted their maiden World Twenty20 Cricket World Cup on 6 April 2014 following their six-wicket victory against former champions India. April 7 April 8 April 9 Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara was named as the Leading Cricketer in the World in the 2015 Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. Sangakkara joined India's Virender Sehwag as the only two players to be named as Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World for a second occasion. April 10 April 11 April 12 In 1985 the Victoria Dam was opened which is the largest hydroelectric dam in Sri Lanka.It is also the tallest dam in the country. The dam is managed by the Mahaweli Project, headed by the Ceylon Electricity Board. April 13 April 14 April 15 April 16 April 17 Sri Lanka's first ever low orbit research satellite Raavana 1 was successfully launched into space on 17 April 2019. Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara won the award for Outstanding Contribution to Sport at the 5th Asian Awards on 17 April 2015 in London. April 18 April 19 April 20 April 21 April 22 April 23 Sri Lanka's National Development Bank Plc won the Asian Development Bank Trade Finance Program (TFP) award on 23 April 2015 for their role in supporting trade in the region. April 24 April 25 April 26 Anjali Chandraraj Watson of Sri Lanka received the prestigious Whitley Award in London on 26 April 2018 for her work on conservation of Leopards in Sri Lanka. April 27 April 28 Sri Lanka played the Final match of the 2007 Cricket World Cup against Australia in Kensington Oval,Bridgetown,Barbados and Sri Lanka became Runners Up. April 29 April 30

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May

May 1 May 2 May 3 May 4 May 5 May 6 Tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka jumped 39.5 percent year-on-year in April 2014, government data showed on 6 May 2014, with the number of foreign visitors rising for the 60th straight month since the near-three-decade civil war ended in May 2009. May 7 May 8 May 9 May 10 May 11 May 12 May 13 May 14 May 15 May 16 May 17 May 18 Sri Lankan Civil War between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as Tamil Tigers, ended on May 18, 2009. The end of the 26-year long war marked the end of brutality, immense loss of life and human rights violations. The war was fought for/against the concept of creating an independent Tamil state named Tamil Eelam in the north and the east of Sri Lanka. May 19 May 20 May 21 Mountaineer Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpal became the first Sri Lankan to climb the summit of Mount Everest on 21 May 2016. Sri Lankan writer Shehan Karunatilaka was announced as the regional winner for Asia of the Commonwealth Book Prize on 21 May 2012 for his book Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew. May 22 May 23 May 24 May 25 May 26 May 27 May 28 May 29 May 30 May 31

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June

June 1 June 2 June 3 June 4 June 5 June 6 June 7 June 8 June 9 June 10 June 11 June 12 June 13 June 14 June 15 June 16 June 17 June 18 June 19 June 20 Jayathma Wickramanayake of Sri Lanka was appointed as the United Nations Envoy on Youth on 20 June 2017 by the Secretary-General António Guterres. June 21 June 22 June 23 June 24 Sri Lanka beat England with just one ball to spare to win the second cricket Test by 100-run on 24 June 2014 and won the series 1-0 after the first match was drawn. It was the first ever Test series win for Sri Lanka in England. June 25 June 26 Bhagya Wijayawardane, an urban gardener who is working to improve food security in Sri Lanka, received a Queen’s Young Leaders award at a ceremony held at the Buckingham Palace, in London on 26 June 2018. June 27 June 28 In 1948 Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) joined the International Labor Organization. June 29 Rakitha Malewana and Senel Wanniarachchi of Sri Lanka received the 2017 Queen’s Young Leaders Awards for their community works in Sri Lanka. June 30 Sri Lanka and Seychelles signed three agreements on 30 June 2013 following bilateral discussions between Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Seychelles counterpart James Alix Michel. The agreements signed were bilateral air-service agreement, MOU on vocational training and youth development and MOU on defense cooperation between the two countries.

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July

July 1 In 1961 People's Bank, a state-owned commercial bank was established. The bank has a network of 326 local branches. July 2 July 3 July 4 The Sri Lankan cricket team scored the highest One Day International (ODI) score of 443/9 (50 Overs) against Netherlands at Amstelveen in 2006. July 5 July 6 The Sri Lankan cricket team won the 2008 Asia Cup held in Pakistan beating India by 100 runs. July 7 July 8 July 9 July 10 July 11 July 12 July 13 July 14 July 15 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 15 July 2014 approved a $300 million dual-tranche loan to help Sri Lanka scale up its use of clean energy and cut its reliance on costly petroleum oil for electricity generation. July 16 July 17 July 18 July 19 July 20 July 21 Sirimavo Bandaranaike was the world’s first woman head of government. She served as prime minister of Sri Lanka three times. Her first term as prime minister started on 21 July 1960. July 22 July 23 July 24 July 25 Sri Lanka’s premier hospitality brand, Jetwing Hotels, was announced as the winner of the prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Grand Award 2013 for the entry of “A Heartfelt Commitment” project in the Environment category. Highlights of the project include a central chilling system powered sustainably by a biomass boiler for running the entire air conditioning system of the hotel. July 26 July 27 July 28 July 29 July 30 Thirty-fourth session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee inscribed Central Highlands of Sri Lanka as a World Heritage Site on July 30, 2010. Sri Lanka's highlands are situated in the south-central part of the island. The property comprises the Peak Wilderness Protected Area, the Horton Plains National Park and the Knuckles Conservation Forest. July 31 Thavachsri Charles Vijayaratnam from Sri Lanka was announced as one of the winners of the N-Peace Awards on 31 July 2013 for her unceasing efforts to improve the lives of rural communities can be seen in the many hats she wears: from serving as secretary of Community-level Women’s Rural Development Society to being president of a women’s group. In 1948 Duncan White won the first ever Olympic Medal (Silver) for the country (Place - Wembley Stadium in London, Event- Men's 400m hurdle).

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August

August 1 In1939 Bank of Ceylon was founded.The then governor Sir Andrew Caldecott ceremoniously opened the bank on August 1st, 1939 and Sir Ernest de Silva became its first Chairman. August 2 August 3 August 4 August 5 August 6 In 1903 the foundation was laid for the Colombo General Hospital. August 7 August 8 August 9 August 10 August 11 August 12 August 13 August 14 August 15 August 16 August 17 August 18 August 19 Chandrika Kumaratunga was Sri Lanka's second female Prime Minster. She served as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 19 August 1994 to 12 November 1994. Both of her parents were also Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka. August 20 August 21 August 22 August 23 August 24 August 25 August 26 Sri Lanka and Belarus inked seven bilateral agreements on 26 August 2013 designed to promote all-round cooperation in the field of tourism, economy, trade, investment, education and technology. August 27 August 28 August 29 August 30 August 31

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September

September 1 September 2 September 3 September 4 September 5 In a remarkable public health achievement, Sri Lanka on 5 September 2016 was certified by World Health Organization (WHO) on having eliminated malaria, a life- threatening disease which long affected the island country. September 6 September 7 September 8 September 9 September 10 In 1922 A.E.Gunasinghe who was a pioneering trade union leader known as the "Father of the Labour Movement" in Sri Lanka formed Sri Lanka's first trade union, the “Ceylon Labour Union”. September 11 September 12 September 13 September 14 September 15 Prolific Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara was presented the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy for International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricketer of the Year at the prestigious LG ICC Awards, held at a glittering ceremony in Colombo on 15 September 2012. September 16 September 17 September 18 September 19 September 20 September 21 September 22 September 23 September 24 September 25 September 26 September 27 September 28 The Sri Lankan athlete Susanthika Jayasinghe won the women's 200m Bronze medal in year 2000 at Sydney Olympics. On October 5, 2007 the gold medalist Marion Jones admitted to having been taking performance enhancing drugs prior to the 2000 Summer Olympics, and Susanthika Jayasinghe was later awarded the silver medal. September 29 In 1991 K.A. Karunaratna of Sri Lankan Army won the gold medal of the marathon race held in Switzerland (70 countries participated). September 30

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October

October 1 The Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, Palitha T.B. Kohona, was elected Chair of the Sixth Committee at the General Assembly of the United Nations on 1 October 2013. The Sixth Committee is one of six main committees at the General Assembly which deals with Legal matters. October 2 Sri Lankan journalist and editor J. S. Tissainayagam was awarded the first Peter Mackler Award by Global Media Forum and the US branch of Reporters Without Borders for Courageous and Ethical Journalism at a ceremony held on October 2, 2009 at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. October 3 Sri Lanka won their first Asian Games gold medal for 12 years with a 68-run win over Afghanistan in the men's Twenty20 cricket on 3 October 2014. October 4 October 5 October 6 October 7 October 8 October 9 October 10 In 1980 the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University was established as an Academy and was elevated to University status later. October 11 October 12 October 13 A poster showing a pair of Sri Lankan leopards was announced as the winner of the 2011 Vettor Giusti Tourism Poster Competition under the South Asia region category at the 19th General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). The competition is held every two years on the occasion of the UNWTO General Assembly and is an opportunity for member states to promote their destinations around the world. October 14 October 15 October 16 October 17 October 18 October 19 Manel Illangakoon from Sri Lanka became the third runner up in the 1953 Miss World pageant held in United Kingdom on October 19, 1953. Illangakoon was the first ever representative from Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in the Miss World contest. October 20 October 21 October 22 October 23 October 24 October 25 October 26 October 27 In 1917 Publication of "Lankadeepa", the daily Sinhala newspaper ( of Times Group) was commenced. October 28 October 29 October 30 October 31

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November

November 1 November 2 November 3 November 4 In 2010 President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared open the Upper Kotmale Tunnel, the longest tunnel in the country. November 5 November 6 November 7 Bernadine Anderson of Sri Lanka won the 2017 N-Peace Award in Untold Stories category for her passion in addressing the challenges left behind by the war in the country. November 8 November 9 November 10 Sri Lanka ranked eighth in the 2015 Charities Aid Foundation's World Giving Index which measures each country's charitable behavior. November 11 November 12 Chandrika Kumaratunga, first female President of Sri Lanka, was in the office from 12 November 1994 to 19 November 2005. November 13 November 14 November 15 In 2010 Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared open the newly built Magampura International Harbour in Hambanthota with a ceremonial berthing of a vessel at the port. November 16 November 17 November 18 November 19 November 20 November 21 November 22 November 23 November 24 November 25 November 26 November 27 Sri Lanka launched its maiden communications satellite on 27 November 2012 in partnership with China's state owned China Great Wall Industry Corporation. November 28 November 29 November 30 In year 2010 the captain of Sri Lankan cricket team Kumar Sangakkara has returned to the top of the ICC Test rankings, overtaking India’s Sachin Tendulkar as the world’s best batsman.

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December

December 1 Sri Lankan human rights lawyer Radhika Coomaraswamy was named as one of the world's top 100 global thinkers by Foreign Policy, a Washington-based prestigious magazine of global politics, economics and ideas, on 1 December 2015 for demanding justice for UN peacekeepers' crimes. The first cricket match played at International Cricket Stadium in Pallakele Kandy on 31st December 2010 between Sri Lanka and West Indies. This stadium can accommodate 30000 spectators and it is one of the venues of the upcoming 2011 World cup. It is world's 104th venue to host Test Cricket. The stadium has been renamed as the Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium to honor the legendary Sri Lankan Cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan. December 2 December 3 December 4 December 5 December 6 December 7 December 8 December 9 December 10 December 11 December 12 December 13 December 14 December 15 December 16 December 17 December 18 December 19 December 20 Sri Lanka won the Asian Youth Netball Championships beating Malaysia 53-48 in a tense final in Hong Kong on 20 December 2015. December 21 December 22 December 23 December 24 December 25 December 26 December 27 December 28 December 29 In 1951 “Kusumalatha”, the first Sinhala film dubbed into Tamil was screened. December 30 Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) customs on 30 December 2014 signed an agreement to boost technical cooperation between the two agencies. December 31

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