Kishore Reddy was unanimously re-elected as president of the Sri Lanka India Society (SLIS) for the year 2022/23 at its annual general meeting (AGM) held on October 27 at the Taj Samudra Hotel.
Speaking at the event, the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay appreciated the work done by the oldest and biggest friendship society under the leadership of Kishore Reddy and stated that it is the work done by the society had been bringing the people of Sri Lanka and India together.
H.C. Gopal Baglay reiterated India’s support to Sri Lanka not just as a friend and the closest neighbour but also as a cultural twin who shares a very similar socio-cultural and religious relationship based on the principles of Dharma and the concept of “Sahadeva Kutumbakam” (the world is one family). While both countries celebrate 75 years of independence, SLIS is also entering its 75th year of formation. However, the relationship between the people of the two countries goes beyond thousands of years of written history.
Kishore Reddy in his speech thanked the High Commissioner and the government of India on behalf of the Society for firmly standing by Sri Lanka throughout the times it was facing one of the worst economic situations in history. Reddy thanked the executive committee of the SLIS for having the confidence to re-elect him to lead the society for another year.
“I appreciate the work done by the exco for standing by me and making it an eventful year. We, as a Society, organised various events which included blood donation camps, Rohan Tudawe Memorial Event, promoted young cultural talent, Mahatma Gandhi Oration, tourism events to promote the Ramayana trail, Vaishnava trail in Sri Lanka and little-known and hidden Buddhist Sites of India. The society also held a dinner to commemorate India’s Republic Day and Sri Lanka’s Independence Day with the then Education Minister and the present Prime Minister Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena. In addition, the Society also hosted a dinner to commemorate India’s 75th Anniversary of Independence, which was graced by the President of Sri Lanka, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Reddy shared.