Business HNB Sponsors 92nd Battle of the Saints as Official Banking Partner Published 5 months ago on 2026/03/22 By Thilina Walpola HNB Vice President Marketing & Corporate Communications, Upul Adikari, together with HNB, Brand Manager, Ishara Thilakarathne, (centre) presents the Official Banking Partner sponsorship cheque to St. Josephs College Rector Rev. Fr. Ranjith Andradi (second from left) and St. Peters College Rector Rev. Fr. Rohitha Rodrigo (second from right) Share Tweet HNB PLC, one of Sri Lanka’s leading private banks, has been named the Official Banking Partner for the 92nd edition of the annual “Battle of the Saints” cricket encounter between St. Joseph’s College and St. Peter’s College. The highly anticipated match is scheduled to take place from March 19 to 21, 2026, at the iconic Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), continuing a celebrated tradition in Sri Lankan school cricket. HNB’s Managing Director and CEO, Damith Pallewatte, said the bank is proud to support an event that embodies the spirit, discipline, and unity of Sri Lanka’s youth. “School sports play a vital role in shaping confident leaders and resilient communities. Partnering the 92nd edition of this iconic encounter is part of our commitment to nurturing young talent and empowering the next generation of Sri Lankans to achieve their full potential,” he stated. The 92nd Battle of the Saints promises to be another thrilling chapter in the history of Sri Lanka’s school cricket, with HNB ensuring that its legacy continues by supporting both sporting excellence and the holistic development of young Sri Lankans. All News Advertisement Related Topics: Up Next ISRAs of Sri Lanka – Protecting Hidden Shark and Ray Hotspots Don't Miss Britol and GP Certified Drive a Revolutionary Shift with the Introduction of Certified Recycled Plastics in FMCG Packaging Continue Reading Advertisement You may like Click to comment Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Business ADB-funded Thalaiyadi plant serves as blueprint for vulnerable dry zones in Sri Lanka Published 21 hours ago on 2026/08/31 By Thilina Walpola Thalaiyadi SWRO desalination plant Photo Credit: ADB Sri Lanka should adopt a diversified water-security strategy, says chief engineer By Sanath Nanayakkare For generations, the Jaffna Peninsula has relied almost entirely on an underground freshwater lens. With no major perennial rivers to lean on, the region has long walked a tightrope between water scarcity, seasonal droughts, and a creeping groundwater salinity that has challenged communities across the North. Today, however, a monumental shift is underway along the windswept Vadamaradchi coast. To understand how Sri Lanka is rewriting its water security playbook, one need only look to the Thalaiyadi Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) Plant. V. Vijayakanth, Chief Engineer of the Jaffna Kilinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project (JKWSSP), recently explained the engineering marvels, environmental safeguards, and long-term vision driving this landmark infrastructure project. “Building a multi-million-gallon desalination plant on an open, deep-sea coastline facing the Indian Ocean was no small feat,” he said. Vijayakanth noted that the project required extensive marine, geotechnical, and ecological investigations before a single pipe was laid. “The scale of the marine installation was striking: an intake and outfall system featuring roughly 1,300 metres of large-diameter pipeline, buried two metres beneath the seabed in water depths reaching up to 12 metres. Because ocean work is strictly dictated by nature, the team had to mobilise an excavator-mounted barge from India and execute a complex offshore operation within a very tight window before the onset of the monsoon.” “One of the greatest historical hurdles of reverse osmosis technology has been its heavy appetite for electricity. To keep operational costs in check, the Thalaiyady plant integrates state-of-the-art isobaric pressure-exchanger energy recovery systems. These devices capture hydraulic energy from the high-pressure brine reject stream and transfer it directly back to the incoming seawater feed – recovering roughly 95% of available energy and slashing power requirements.” “Environmental stewardship was equally central to the design. To prevent high-salinity discharge from harming the marine ecosystem, the plant utilizes an offshore outfall equipped with specialized diffusers positioned more than 500 metres from the shore. This ensures rapid mixing within a tightly monitored zone, safeguarding local marine life,” he said. Karaveddi Water Supply Scheme The impact of the plant is already tangible on the ground. Producing water that meets rigorous national quality standards (SLS 614:2013), the facility feeds into a vast transmission network linked to elevated service reservoirs. These tanks regulate hydraulic pressure across sprawling distribution routes, bringing relief to areas historically plagued by hard, brackish water. V. Vijayakanth, Chief Engineer of Jaffna Kilinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project (JKWSSP) Currently, about 1,600 households in the Karaveddi Zone are actively connected to the desalinated supply, with water flowing across a regional network stretching from Kodikamam and Jaffna City down to distant island communities like Delft, Kayts and Punguduthivu. The peninsula’s total daily drinking water demand hovers around 50,000 cubic metres for a population of roughly 600,000. Operating at full capacity, the Thalaiyadi plant yields 24,000 cubic metres per day – meeting nearly half of the region’s current needs. Yet, planners are already looking decades ahead. Driven by economic development, tourism, and proposed industrial zones like Kankesanthurai, projected potable water requirements for domestic, commercial, and industrial needs are expected to climb from 95,000 cubic metres per day in 2025 to 135,000 by 2045, and 175,000 by 2065. Meeting this future trajectory will require a diversified national strategy combining desalination with surface-water preservation and rainwater harvesting. When asked whether Sri Lanka should lean exclusively on seawater conversion amid intensifying climate volatility, Vijayakanth emphasised the need for a balanced approach: “Sri Lanka should adopt a diversified water-security strategy, prioritising sustainable surface-water development, groundwater protection, rainwater harvesting, water conservation, treated wastewater reuse and catchment protection. Desalination can complement these sources as a valuable climate-resilient and drought-proof option where appropriate.” Backed by financial and technical collaboration from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the project has given the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) invaluable expertise in advanced desalination management. Crucially, a two-year hands-on training program is ensuring that local technical staff master everything from membrane upkeep to preventive maintenance. As climate variability accelerates, Thalaiyadi serves as a vital proof-of-concept. While energy-intensive desalination cannot replace conventional freshwater sources everywhere, Vijayakanth emphasises that it stands as an indispensable, drought-proof shield for Sri Lanka’s vulnerable dry zones – turning the ocean itself into a secure foundation for the nation’s future. Continue Reading Business Tropic Of Linen takes new form at The Shoppes at City of Dreams Published 22 hours ago on 2026/08/31 By Thilina Walpola From left: Tropic Of Linen Founders Minha Akram and Shukran Salih Sri Lankan fashion label Tropic Of Linen recently opened the doors to its second boutique, located at The Shoppes at City of Dreams. For over a decade, linen has formed the core of the brand’s inspiration and business ethos. Its textures, movement, and natural irregularities carry through the striking interior of Tropic Of Linen’s newly opened second store. Large sculptural forms in wind-worn sandstone sit against softer curves, while a grand olive tree anchors the heart of the store, reaching up toward a skylight and giving life to the entire space. Drawing on her background in fine art and design, co-founder Minha Akram envisioned a layered, sensory interior intended to draw people into the world of Tropic Of Linen and invite them to linger. Continue Reading Business ANC Education celebrates ‘Class of 2026’ at graduation ceremony in Colombo Published 22 hours ago on 2026/08/31 By Thilina Walpola The ceremony marked both a conclusion and a new beginning, with ANC celebrating student progress and future success ANC Education held its 2026 graduation ceremony at BMICH, Colombo, celebrating graduates across multiple programmes. The cohort included 53 BBA graduates from Northwood University, 22 Psychological Sciences graduates from Northern Arizona University, 320 Pearson BTEC HND graduates, and 29 BTEC Level 7 graduates, alongside foundation, diploma, and transfer pathway students. Senior representatives from partner institutions attended. Best Performer Awards recognised outstanding academic achievement. The event honoured years of hard work and support from families and educators. Since 2002, ANC has provided local and international pathways. Graduates now pursue careers, further studies, or international opportunities. Continue Reading Latest Trending Latest News 12 hours ago Sri Lanka lose Women’s Champions Trophy hosting rights Latest News 18 hours ago Iran attacks US bases in Jordan after US strikes Larak Island Weather 21 hours ago Showers will occur in the Western, North-western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Latest News 21 hours ago Sun directly overhead Neriyakulam, Punewa, Kebithigollewa, Pankulam and Sinhapura at about 12.10 noon today (31) News 21 hours ago BASL takes exception to Justice Ganepola being denied a place in SC News 21 hours ago Sajith challenges govt. to hold PC polls News 5 years ago ‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’ News 6 years ago Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines News 6 years ago #SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines News 5 years ago Sunday Island – 28th March News 5 years ago Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March News 6 years ago Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines Trending News 7 days ago Missing doctor’s body found in Mahiyanganaya News 7 days ago Australia declines to release Finance Secy Suriyapperuma’s citizenship details News 4 days ago Eight politicians in drug kingpin probe News 7 days ago 22A: BASL suggests CJ recuse himself from hearing petitions Features 2 days ago “Wrap Me Up in My Blazer”— A Gentlemanly Bradby Reminiscence Business 4 days ago Sri Lanka opens up: A new season of direct connectivity Features 6 days ago Insights from Chieftains of Uva: Genealogy of two Kandyan Families – Part II Features 4 days ago Redefining ageing in Sri Lanka
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: island.lk