Category: Daily Financial Times

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday emphasised the importance of continued progress on energy sector reforms, particularly the unbundling of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and maintaining cost-reflective pricing, as part of Sri Lanka’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program.

IMF Mission Chief Evan Papageorgiou told reporters in Colombo: ‘We are paying close attention to the developments around the unbundling of CEB and the evolution that the energy sector is going to undergo in 2026 and beyond.’

‘The reform is a very crucial step meant to bring more transparency and a more efficient function of the energy sector. However, with any reform and any change, there are a lot of details to be ironed out and to be clarified,’ he added.

Papageorgiou stressed that maintaining cost-recovery electricity pricing remains a continuous structural benchmark under the IMF program, forming one of the building blocks of the EFF.

‘This ensures that, on a forward-looking basis, CEB or a successor company is not incurring financial losses,’ he said. ‘By that, we also mean that this does not become a liability to the taxpayer and to the State.’

He said cost-reflective pricing is essential for containing fiscal risks and supporting long-term economic stability. ‘It ensures that the electricity company operates on commercial grounds, much like any private company would, and makes sound and operationally good financial decisions,’ he added.

Papageorgiou also noted that stable and predictable electricity tariffs and the appropriate setting of these processes are very important, because they pave the way toward lowering electricity prices for everybody and benefiting the economy as a whole.

As part of the ongoing fifth review of the IMF program, the Fund is evaluating the CEB’s tariff submission to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) this month.

‘We will also assess in the next few weeks the end-November structural benchmark we had set at the time of the fourth review, with respect to reviewing the electricity tariff methodology,’ he said.

The IMF Mission Chief reiterated that energy sector reform and cost-recovery pricing are paramount to ensuring fiscal discipline and to preventing future losses that could weigh on the public finances.

Jason Thayaparan with his acrobatic defensive play enabled Sri Lanka to notch up a close 1-0 win over mighty Turkmenistan in a key Asian Cup Championship 2027 (Saudi Arabia) group stage game played at Racecourse Stadium yesterday.

Even though the solitary goal was scored by a teammate, Thayaparan became the cynosure of all eyes when he headed away two certain kicks at goal to save his team from defeat and keep their hopes alive in the tournament.

The 138 ranked Turkmenistan had never tasted defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka, but this time around, they were given a torrid time until the last 20 minutes of the game, where they made some teasing moves looking for the equaliser which was foiled by the Lankan defence spearheaded by Thayaparan, who put a swashbuckling performance.

After a barren first half which had some anxious moments of play by both sides, yet no side was able to break the deadlock. After the short whistle it was the hosts who put pressure on the rival camp and took control of the game. In the 68th minute, Manimeldura Leon sneaked through the defence to score a well-executed goal. From there, the game turned out be a ding-dong battle for supremacy as both sides fought hard looking for scoring opportunities, and when referee Tam Ping Wun blew the full time whistle, it was the Lankan camp who walked away with a well-deserved victory.

This is the first instance that Sri Lanka was able to notch up a win over Turkmenistan, who were undefeated until this game. They will travel to Turkmenistan to play the second leg on 14 October.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) releasing its Financial Stability Review 2025 report yesterday said that despite the strong momentum in recent private sector credit growth, a widening private sector credit-to-GDP gap points to potential emerging risks in the financial system.

The gap, which turned positive in mid-2024, has continued to widen through 2025 amid sustained credit growth.

‘This suggests a potential accumulation of systemic risk within the sector,’ the CBSL said. ‘However, higher GDP growth in tandem with credit expansion would support a healthy expansionary phase conducive to financial stability.’

Credit-to-deposit ratios across the banking sector began to recover after remaining weak earlier in the year. The CBSL attributed this to a gradual improvement in bank lending and a stronger appetite for loans among businesses and households.

Survey data showed that banks’ willingness to lend and borrower demand both increased in the second quarter, supported by low interest rates, stable liquidity, and improved confidence in the economic outlook.

The CBSL said continued correction in the allocation of credit away from Government borrowing and toward productive private sector activity would be key to sustaining recovery and ensuring balanced financial intermediation.

The bank said that private sector credit remains below pre-crisis levels despite increasing banking sector loans and a steady slowdown in Government borrowing.

Total credit extended by regulated financial institutions, including banks and finance companies, grew by 14% year-on-year by the end of the second quarter of 2025.

The CBSL said this reflected an improvement in lending conditions and the impact of its accommodative monetary policy stance. Finance companies recorded a sharp 35.1% expansion in lending, while the banking sector grew by 11.4% during the same period.

The CBSL said credit to the private sector continued to expand, supported by lower lending rates and broad-based demand across key economic sectors. Household borrowing also increased, driven by gold- and vehicle-backed loans and stronger consumer activity.

However, private sector credit-to-GDP was still below pre-crisis levels.

‘Private sector Credit-to-GDP, which stood at 28.6% at end H1 of 2025, remained well below pre-crisis levels, indicating room for further expansion,’ the CBSL said.

It observed that the moderation in credit to the Government and public corporations has created space for private sector borrowing, but the recovery remains incomplete.

Exposure to the Government sector declined to 46.5% of total credit by end-June 2025, continuing a correction that began in 2024 when fiscal consolidation gathered pace.

‘The tilt in exposure towards the Government and public corporations continued to decline, though there remains scope for further enhancement of private sector credit,’ the CBSL said. It added that expanding private sector credit could support strengthening production capacity and contribute towards sustained economic growth.

Slack, a Salesforce company, has unveiled major enhancements to its platform that enable partners and developers to build secure, context-aware AI apps and agents powered by customer-owned conversational data.

The launch introduces a real-time search (RTS) API and a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, giving flexible, permission-aware access to the latest messages, files, and channels in Slack-so AI can act with the right context while meeting enterprise governance and control requirements.

Thousands of companies are racing to deploy agents, but most stumble on the same hurdle: usefulness in the day-to-day flow of work. Agents run on data, and the most powerful signal is conversation. Slack unlocks this previously unstructured, hard-to-reach corpus so apps and agents can move beyond generic output to deliver user-specific, context-rich assistance that drives productivity.

An ecosystem of leading innovators-including Anthropic, Google, Perplexity, Writer, Dropbox, Notion, Cognition Labs, Vercel, and Cursor-is already building on these capabilities, with new AI Slack apps and agents available in the Slack marketplace. By securely tapping Slack’s conversational data, these partners are bringing intelligence directly into the flow of work, reducing app-switching and turning discussion into action.

Slack CEO Denise Dresser said: ‘The future of work is undeniably agentic, and the success of AI depends on its seamless integration into human workflows. Our latest Slack platform innovations create the secure, data-rich environment necessary for AI agents to become trusted companions. We make it simple for customers and partners to build their AI solutions directly into Slack so that work is more connected, intelligent, and productive than ever before.’

Built for the agentic enterprise, the expanded platform delivers:

Secure data access with context:

1.RTS API surfaces the most current discussions, files, and channels in real time without bulk exporting or duplicate storage, always honouring user and channel permissions.

2.MCP server standardises how LLMs, apps, and agents discover context and execute tasks in Slack, replacing fragmented integrations with a single, consistent protocol.

Tangible productivity gains:

Organisations can unlock unstructured knowledge and save users an average of 97 minutes per week; accelerate decision-making by 37% and customer responses by 36% by connecting app data (e.g., Agentforce Sales, Workday) to conversations; and increase productivity by eliminating context switching.

Distribution where work happens:

With 1.7 million+ apps used weekly in Slack, and 95% of users saying apps are more valuable inside Slack, developers overcome the adoption gap by delivering tools directly in the workspace.

Enterprise-grade trust:

Slack’s security, privacy features, and granular permissions provide a robust foundation for compliant, agentic collaboration.

Slack also introduced Work Objects-standardised, rich previews that connect third-party data (details, images, documents) directly to conversations-and new agentic developer tools, including AI best practices, prebuilt Block Kit Tables, and updated CLI resources for Bolt apps, streamlining the entire build lifecycle.

The RTS API and MCP server are in closed beta with general availability expected early 2026. Third-party AI agents using these capabilities are available now in the Slack Marketplace. Work Objects will reach general availability in late October, and the new developer tools are currently available.

Nadine de Klerk played an incredible knock for the ages to get South Africa over the line in their Women’s Cricket World Cup match against host India at Visakhapatnam yesterday.

de Klerk struck 8 fours and 5 sixes in her career best innings of 84* off 54 balls, as South Africa chased down a target of 252 to win by three wickets with seven balls to spare. As soon as the winning hit for six was made, every member of the South African squad, even the senior members, ran out to congratulate her. South Africa were down but not out of it, and it needed something special to register the win and de Klerk produced that. She eclipsed Richa Ghosh’s knock earlier in the day. It was India’s first defeat of the tournament in three matches.

The chase for South Africa started with Kranti Gaud pulling off a blinder in her own bowling to dismiss Tazmin Brits for nought. Sune Luus did not last long and Laura Wolvaardt held one end up as wickets tumbled from the other. South Africa were 81-5 when Chloe Tryon joined her skipper, and they started to get South Africa back into the game, slowly knocking it around and building a partnership of 61 off 97 balls. From there, on it was de Klerk as she added 69 off 60 with Tryon (49 off 66 balls, 5 fours) and a match winning 41* off 18 balls with Ayabonga Khaka (1*) to take the Player of the Match award.

India continued their way of bouncing back from tricky positions to post a more than competitive total of 251. They recovered from 124-6 to 269-8 against Sri Lanka, 159-5 to 247 against Pakistan, and 102-6 to 251 yesterday. That splendid recovery was possible due to Richa Ghosh, who hit the highest score while batting at No. 8 or lower in a Women’s ODI – 94 off 77 balls, surpassing Chloe Tryon’s 74 against Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa Stadium in May this year.

Ghosh walked in with her team in a spot of bother and opted for an approach, which none of her teammates took. She batted positively and scored at a brisk rate, even while Amanjot Kaur was batting at a snail’s pace. The duo stitched a fifty partnership (51 off 84 balls) before Amanjot (13 off 44 balls) fell to Tryon. Sneh Rana came out with a positive intent and Ghosh was at her power-hitting best as they shared an eighth wicket stand of 88 off 53 balls. The Indian wicketkeeper batter smashed 11 fours and 4 sixes to take her team’s total over 250, which looked almost impossible when she came in to bat. 98 runs came off the last 9.5 overs and India once again found a way to bounce back when their backs were against the wall.

Inserted to bat, India got off to a solid start as they scored 55-0 in the powerplay. They lost seven wickets to left-arm spin in two matches in this tournament. So, there was a lot of focus on how they would fare against the two South African left-arm spinners. Nonkululeku Mlaba was introduced in the 11th over and she struck with her second ball by removing Smriti Mandhana as the latter tried to play a big shot. Post that, the Proteas squeezed the flow of runs and pressure got to India. The home team slipped from 83-1 to 102-6. While Mlaba and Tryon picked two wickets apiece, Sekhukhune and Kapp picked a wicket each. Eventually, it was a whirlwind last 10 overs that brought India firmly back into this game.

Scores:

India Women 251 (49.5) (Pratika Rawal 37, Smriti Mandhana 23, Richa Ghosh 94, Sneh Rana 33, Marizanne Kapp 2/45, Nadine de Klerk 2/52, Nonkululeku Mlaba 2/46, Chloe Tryon 3/32)

South Africa Women 252-7 (48.5) (Laura Wolvaardt 70, Marizanne Kapp 20, Chloe Tryon 49, Nadine de Klerk 84*, Kranti Gaud 2/59, Sneh Rana 2/47)

The Geoffrey Bawa Trust has announced the much anticipated opening of the Bawa Design Store on Saturday, 11 October. After significant merchandise expansion inspired by the Trust’s collection, the flagship store will open its doors to the public at 41/1 Horton Place in Colombo 07. The new design store is located in the Geoffrey Bawa Space, home to the Geoffrey Bawa Trust offices, archives, and public gallery, allowing visitors the chance to check out the current exhibition alongside some unique retail therapy.

Established by the late architect in 1982, The Geoffrey Bawa Trust works to advance the fields of art, architecture, and ecology in Sri Lanka, and the Design Store is proud to continue this mandate. Community-based craftsmanship and locally sourced materials were central to Geoffrey Bawa’s practice. As the architect once said, ‘the contribution of the makers, particularly the older carpenters and masons who are passionate about what they do, is equal to or more . than ours.’

Continuing Bawa’s preference for working with local artisans, the Trust collaborates closely with small and medium-sized enterprises to create customised items inspired by Bawa’s practice and design ethos. All retail products are designed and made in Sri Lanka, through ethical partnerships that promote craftsmanship and support local livelihoods.

The Trust launched the first collection of merchandise in 2019 as part of the Bawa 100 centennial celebrations. Expanding on the original t-shirts and tote bags, offerings now include a variety of artisanal products that reflect Geoffrey Bawa’s prolific career and diverse artistic interests and collaborations.

The product range includes, but are certainly not limited to, cast brass gongs reminiscent of those hanging in Bawa’s Lunuganga garden, re-prints of hand-drawn maps, the gorgeously petit nil veralu shaped candles, funky black and white checkered soaps, and notebooks bound in fabric custom designed for Geoffrey Bawa by his friend, collaborator, artist, and Barefoot founder Barbara Sansoni. Also on offer is the Trust’s retrospective of Geoffrey Bawa career, Drawing from the Archives, an in-depth exploration of the architect’s work and official record of his lasting legacy.

For those outside of Colombo, the Trust maintains an online store. First opening in 2020, the online store has proved a popular outlet for items such as limited edition Bawa postcards, customised stationary, and miniature reproductions of Geoffrey Bawa designed chairs, including a tiny Next-door Cafe Chair in the original red and tan design.

The Trust will also be launching two new Design Stores later in the month at Geoffrey Bawa’s Residence (Number 11) in Colombo 03, and the Lunuganaga garden in Bentota. Each store will have its own selection of products for sale unique to that location. Visitors to the Number 11 Store, for example, will be able to purchase reproductions of the Sunburst batik made for Geoffrey Bawa by his friend and renowned artist Ena de Silva, and which hangs in the entryway to his Colombo residence.

The Lunuganga Design Store will include bespoke products crafted from materials found in the garden, such as reeds and wood grown and harvested on the property. There are also plans to develop a line of custom plush animals made by local artisans.

The Bawa Design Store is open Thursday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Sri Lanka stands at an inflection point. Global competition is intensifying, technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain are reshaping industries, and societies worldwide are rethinking the role of technology in human progress. For a nation striving to become a $ 15 billion digital economy, the stakes are high. Against this backdrop, the Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL) is preparing to host the National ICT Conference (NITC 2025) the country’s premier and longest-running technology forum. Scheduled for 14 to 16 October at the Shangri-La Colombo, this year’s conference takes on unprecedented significance as it aligns directly with Sri Lanka’s digital nation-building agenda.

The conference theme, ‘Fostering a Human-Centric Nation Towards Society 5.0’, captures both the challenge and the opportunity. While digital adoption has accelerated across the world, the defining question now is how to ensure that technology benefits people bridging divides, creating opportunities, and enhancing wellbeing. This is the promise of Society 5.0, a concept pioneered in Japan and now being localised for Sri Lanka: the fusion of cyberspace and physical space in a way that puts people, not machines, at the centre of development.

Unveiling the event, CSSL President Heshan Karunaratne stressed the importance of embracing this vision. ‘Society 5.0 represents the next frontier of digital transformation. It is not only about applying technology but about reimagining how technology can serve people, enhance inclusivity, and deliver social good,’ he said. ‘Sri Lanka has a unique opportunity to harness emerging technologies to drive inclusive growth, enhance digital literacy, and create a more connected and intelligent society.’

Karunaratne’s message was more than ceremonial. It underlined the pivotal role that CSSL intends to play as the professional body for ICT in Sri Lanka. For over four decades, CSSL has nurtured talent, built capacity, and engaged with government and industry to shape policy. Now, with NITC 2025, the organisation is making a bold statement: the ICT sector is not a support function-it is the driver of national progress.

CSSL Vice President Indika de Zoysa placed emphasis on the structural reforms necessary for Sri Lanka to thrive in the digital economy. ‘We are actively engaging with the government for policy changes to secure low-interest bank loans for freelancers, establish world-class IT parks, and reform education to produce a highly skilled workforce,’ he said.

De Zoysa also cautioned against complacency. ‘Without decisive action, Sri Lanka risks losing its competitive edge in the global digital economy. We must create a more conducive environment for talent to thrive and stay in Sri Lanka.’ His remarks highlighted a reality that many stakeholders are aware of: while Sri Lanka has produced globally recognised ICT professionals, many of them choose to work abroad. Retaining talent requires a holistic approach-fiscal incentives, better infrastructure, and educational reform-and NITC 2025 will serve as a forum to advance those discussions.

NITC 2025 Conference Chair Dr. Amal Illesinghe spoke with conviction about the scale of the event. ‘This year’s National ICT Conference is expected to attract more than 1,200 participants, including technology professionals, business leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, academia and students. It will be a melting pot of ideas, fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors, and between academia and industry. That collaboration is vital if Sri Lanka is to accelerate its journey toward a digitally empowered future.’

Dr. Illesinghe emphasised that the conference has been curated to break silos. Seven tracks-FinTech, EduTech, TravelTech, AgriTech, eHealth, InfoSec and e-Governance -will provide space for deep dives into how technology can transform specific sectors. ‘It is not enough to speak in generalities,’ he noted. ‘We want participants to walk away with concrete insights, case studies, and strategies that can be implemented in their own organisations and sectors.’ He also revealed new features for NITC 2025, including startup showcases, curated mentorship programs, and investor dialogues. These initiatives are designed to provide visibility and support to the next generation of innovators-young Sri Lankans whose ideas could shape the future economy.

CSSL Secretary Udesh I.W. Seneviratna, linked the conference directly to the national development vision. ‘The theme of NITC 2025 reflects our vision for Sri Lanka to integrate advanced digital technologies in a way that directly serves people and communities. This complements major initiatives of the Government such as poverty alleviation, digitalisation of services, and building a sustainable clean Sri Lanka through societal upliftment. The National ICT Conference demonstrates how the technology sector can become a full partner in achieving the country’s long-term development goals.’

Seneviratna’s remarks underscored a central point: NITC is not an isolated industry event but a forum that connects with national objectives. Whether the issue is educational reforms, digital healthcare, agricultural modernisation, financial, tourism or e-Governance enchantments, technology is the enabler-and CSSL is positioning itself as a trusted partner in shaping policy and strategy he emphasised.

A program with impact

The three-day program will begin on 14 October with the CSSL National ICT Awards, a ceremony that recognises outstanding contributions to Sri Lanka’s digital landscape. The following two days will include keynote speeches by international experts, sector-specific panels, and interactive workshops. Beyond the scheduled agenda, the event will feature networking spaces, innovation booths, and knowledge-sharing lounges designed to

maximise collaboration.

Global best practices will be showcased, with speakers from Asia, Europe, and the Americas sharing case studies on digital government, AI regulation, smart agriculture, and cyber resilience. These sessions will give Sri Lanka’s policymakers and industry leaders concrete models to adapt, ensuring that the nation does not reinvent the wheel but builds on proven successes while tailoring them to local realities.

Why does NITC 2025 matter so much? The answer lies in Sri Lanka’s current trajectory. The country has set ambitious goals: becoming a $ 15 billion digital economy, ensuring 100% school connectivity by 2026, and embedding ICT in governance and public service delivery. Yet progress has been uneven. Connectivity gaps persist in rural areas, digital literacy remains low in some sectors, and policy inertia has slowed reforms.

The National ICT Conference provides a space to confront these challenges head-on. It allows stakeholders to exchange ideas, build coalitions, and accelerate initiatives. More importantly, it communicates a message to the nation: that the ICT community is not working in isolation but is fully aligned with the broader national vision.

At its heart, NITC 2025 is about more than technology. It is about people. The concept of Society 5.0 places human wellbeing at the centre ensuring that automation, AI, and digital platforms are harnessed to reduce inequality, empower citizens, and create opportunities for all. This is particularly relevant for Sri Lanka, where digital tools can bridge geographic divides, bring healthcare to underserved communities, and open global markets to local entrepreneurs.

As CSSL President Karunaratne noted, ‘We must remember that technology is not an end in itself. It is a means to improve lives. If NITC 2025 inspires even a few initiatives that directly enhance the wellbeing of Sri Lankans, it will have achieved its purpose.’

Looking ahead

As October approaches, anticipation continues to build. NITC 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most significant technology gatherings in Sri Lanka’s history. It represents a moment where the nation can align its policies, industry practices, and educational pathways with a clear, human-centric vision for the future.

For professionals, entrepreneurs, policymakers, academia and students, the message is clear: NITC 2025 is not just another conference. It is a national platform for transformation, a place where ideas meet implementation, and where the nation’s digital future begins to take shape.

‘Amending the 2024 No. 09 Online Safety Act by removing restrictions on freedom of expression’ is promised in chapter 1.8 of the NPP Manifesto. Not involving money, the manifesto promise may be taken seriously. It took them 11 months, but the Government did solicit comments and suggestions last month.

For a start, section 12 must be deleted: ‘Any person, whether in or outside Sri Lanka, who poses a threat to national security, public health or public order or promotes feelings of ill-will and hostility between different classes of people, by communicating a false statement, commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine not exceeding five hundred thousand rupees or to both such imprisonment and fine.’

The elements of the offence created by section 12 are irremediably vague. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that vagueness is a violation of Article 12(1) of the Constitution.

It is one thing to leave it to trained judges to interpret that vague language and decide whether an offence has been committed. But through section 23, the framers of the Act intended to have five people outside the judicial branch decide what is true and false, whether it promoted ill-will and hostility, etc. Obviously, that is over the line. So, it appears that the Government must not only delete section 12; it must get rid of the Commission itself. It has yet to be established, so it is easy to do.

Learning from how Act has been used

The Act was marketed based on the protection it was supposed to give women against partners who harassed them using intimate photos and videos. A surface reading of section 20 suggests it would (we too were guilty of that). But the fact that only men in positions of power have used it when filing cases before magistrates under section 24 points to a devious attempt to give politicians a workaround for the absence of criminal defamation in the laws of this land.

None of the complainants have been women. All except one has been engaged in politics, including even one Opposition front bencher. This suggests the Act is by, and for, the political class.

What is the problem that people face?

Ordinary people feel helpless when bad and unpleasant things happen to them on these platforms. They want the harm to cease, as quickly as possible. They want prompt takedown. They do not know who to complain to; who can help. The platforms are highly automated; they employ a minuscule number of people to address user concerns. Even these people are in distant locations.

This is the genuine problem that politicians in all countries use as justification for laws that have ‘online safety’ in their titles. But these laws are ineffective. Except for one case that was dismissed based on preliminary objections, none of the other five cases have yet concluded. If prompt takedown is the solution, the Act is a failure.

Not only does it fail to solve people’s problems; it exacerbates them through the Streisand Effect, wherein an attempt to censor or otherwise draw attention away from something only serves to attract more attention to it. The name derives from American singer and actress Barbra Streisand’s lawsuit against a photographer in 2003, which drew attention to the photo she sought to take off the Internet. The first case under the OSA resulted in more, not less, people learning about a presidential candidate’s problems with a paramour.

The solution

The only way to address the people’s problem is to cooperate with the social media companies to leverage the algorithmic capabilities of platforms to promptly takedown virally disseminated offensive content. This does not require a Commission of the type described in Part II of the Act. Diktat from a Commission will only cause the companies to run everything through their lawyers and slow things down.

What is needed is a unit housed within SL-CERT or the Telecom Regulatory Commission to screen and communicate complaints to the platform companies, preferably through a green-channel mechanism that will expedite takedowns.

The cooperative pathway is the only one that will produce quick takedowns. The entirety of Part II of the Act can be deleted along with the Commission-centric pathway set out in section 23. Provision should be made in the Act for appeals to Sri Lankan courts and/or administrative review/appellate bodies against arbitrary takedown decisions.

That is what must be done if Government wishes to address the real problems faced by the public. Or they can, like the previous Government, prioritise the problems of the political class. Even that, ineffectively.

Dialog Axiata PLC, on Wednesday hosted the Dialog Schools Rugby League Awards 2025 at the BMICH.

The prestigious event honoured the champions and runners-up of the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2025, bringing together young athletes, coaches, school officials, and passionate supporters for an evening of celebration.

The Dialog Schools Rugby League was widely recognised as the most competitive schools’ sporting event in Sri Lanka, spanning three divisions, uniting over 90 Schools and 2700 plus players from across the island. This year’s tournament was a showcase of extraordinary talent, skill, and sportsmanship, reaffirming the enduring passion for rugby in Sri Lankan schools.

In Division I, Segment A, Trinity College, Kandy emerged as Cup Champions following a spirited campaign, while Wesley College, Colombo finished as runners-up. The Plate title was secured by D.S. Senanayake College, with St. Joseph’s College taking second place. In the Bowl category, St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota triumphed ahead of Mahanama College, who settled for runners-up honours.

Adding to the fiercely contested battles in Segment A, schools such as S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, Royal College, Isipathana College, and St. Peter’s College made significant contributions, keeping fans on the edge of their seats throughout the season.

In Division I, Segment B, the Cup was lifted by Prince of Wales College, while Richmond College secured the Plate and St. Aloysius College walked away with the Bowl. Over in Segment C, Maharagama Central College celebrated Cup glory, with Thalduwa Buddhist School clinching the Plate and St. Anne’s College winning the Bowl.

The Division II encounters also produced memorable rugby. Madeena National School, Madawala were crowned Cup champions, S. Thomas’ College, Bandarawela emerged as Plate winners and Nalanda College claimed the Bowl.

The competition extended into Division III, where rugby champions emerged from all corners of the island. Among the winners were Zahira College, Mawanella, Sir John Kotelawala College, Mahiyanganaya National School, Orubendiwewa Secondary School, and Badulla Central College. Spirited runners-up such as Hewaheta Central, Rangiri Dambulu College, Haddaththawa Secondary School, Dehigolla Maha Vidyalaya, and Dharmadutha Central also earned recognition for their outstanding efforts.

Adding a unique dimension to the evening, Dialog also presented the ‘Fan Moment of the Year’ award – a special recognition celebrating the moments that captured the hearts of thousands of rugby fans during the 2025 season.

Dialog Axiata’s commitment to sports extends well beyond rugby. Dialog is also a dedicated sponsor of Sri Lanka’s national cricket, volleyball, and esports teams, as well as the primary sponsor of the Sri Lanka Golf Open. The company promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion through sponsorships with the Netball Federation of Sri Lanka and the National Paralympic Committee, enabling athletes to compete in national and international tournaments. Furthering its commitment to Powering the Champions of Tomorrow, Dialog continues to support the President’s Gold Cup Volleyball, national junior and senior netball tournaments, and schools’ rugby.

Laugfs Power PLC has announced the appointment of Russell De Zilva as its new CEO and as a Non-Independent Director to its Board.

De Zilva currently serves as Joint Chief Executive Officer of Vallibel Power Erathna PLC.

He possesses over two decades of experience in the renewable energy sector, having played a key role in the development and operation of hydropower, wind, and solar power projects within the Vallibel Power Group.

De Zilva holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) Degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in Electrical Engineering, with specialised expertise in advanced automation and control systems, grid-connected and floating solar PV technologies, and project management.

Over his career, he has contributed to the design, engineering, and implementation of more than 50MW of grid-connected renewable energy systems across Sri Lanka.

He has also provided strategic leadership in the planning and development of upcoming floating solar PV initiatives, positioning himself at the forefront of emerging sustainable energy solutions.

His blend of technical proficiency, strategic leadership, and industry insight has supported the continued growth and innovation of Sri Lanka’s renewable energy and infrastructure sectors.

De Zilva currently holds directorships in several companies within the Vallibel Group, including, Vallibel Power Kiriwaneliya Ltd., and Vallibel Willwind Ltd.

Additionally, he holds a Joint Chief Executive Officer position in Alternate Power Systems Ltd., and Country Energy Ltd.