Guwahati: On the occasion of the 77th Republic Day of India, two significant publications edited by Prof. Ankuran Dutta were ceremonially released in Colombo, underscoring the enduring civilizational and cultural ties between India and Sri Lanka.
The books —‘Civilisational Twins: Timeless Traditions, Eternal Bonds between India and Sri Lanka’ and ‘Ramayana in Sri Lanka’— were jointly released by Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, and Dr Nalinda Jayatissa, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Health and Mass Media.
Edited by Prof Ankuran Dutta, Director of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Colombo, ‘Civilisational Twins: Timeless Traditions, Eternal Bonds between India and Sri Lanka’ is a curated anthology comprising 37 chapters in over 500 pages authored by eminent scholars from both countries.
The volume traces the rich and multidimensional civilizational dialogue between India and Sri Lanka, spanning religion, language, literature, music, dance, cinema, wellness traditions, and philosophy, offering a comprehensive scholarly reflection on shared heritage.
The second publication, ‘Ramayana in Sri Lanka’, is an illustrated volume that brings together academic inquiry and visual imagination. Through four focused articles and a carefully structured chronological Ramayana Heritage Trail, the book explores how the epic has been remembered, reinterpreted, and lived across Sri Lanka’s landscapes and cultural traditions.
The books were released at the ceremonial Republic Day reception held at India House, Colombo, attended by over a thousand dignitaries, including ministers, Members of Parliament, diplomats from various foreign missions, and invited guests.
Among those present were former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena, and Gotabaya Rajapaksa, along with current Cabinet Ministers and the Speaker of Parliament.
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On the occasion, copies of the books were also presented by the High Commissioner to Dr Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, and Vijitha Herath, Minister of Foreign Affairs, further highlighting the significance of the publications in strengthening cultural diplomacy and intellectual exchange between the two nations.
