NEW DELHI : The 41st Meeting of the Board of Directors of the India – Sri Lanka Foundation (ISLF) was held in New Delhi on 28 August 2026, co-chaired by the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India, Mahishini Colonne, and the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha.
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The meeting was attended by Board Members Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam, Ambassador Mohan Kumar and Mr. Ashok Malik.
The Board reviewed the progress of ongoing projects and considered new project proposals received by the Colombo Secretariat. Of over 500 proposals received by the Colombo Secretariat, 137 proposals were shortlisted following the vetting process, of which 20 proposals were placed before the Board for consideration. The Board approved 13 projects amounting to approximately LKR 21 million, covering a range of areas including education, culture, agriculture, and science and technology.
The Board also noted the substantial increase in the level of interest among the public in both countries in the work of the India – Sri Lanka Foundation. The New Delhi Secretariat received 149 proposals from Indian nationals, despite no formal Call for Proposals having been issued prior to the meeting due to financial constraints.
Their Board noted that the unprecedented level of interest in the Foundation, from individuals and institutions in both countries, reflects the continuing public interest in strengthening the close and enduring relationship between India and Sri Lanka and in creating greater opportunities for people-to-people engagement.
The India – Sri Lanka Foundation was established on 28 December 1998, through a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Governments of India and Sri Lanka by the then Foreign Ministers of India and Sri Lanka, Mr. Jaswant Singh and Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar.
The Foundation was established with the objective of fostering India – Sri Lanka relations through enhanced economic, scientific, educational, technical and cultural cooperation, as well as promoting greater understanding between the peoples of the two countries.
Over the past 28 years, the Foundation has played an important role in advancing people-to-people contacts by supporting exchanges and initiatives involving students, academics, researchers, professionals, artists and cultural practitioners, as well as projects in a range of fields of mutual interest, based on proposals received from institutions and individuals in both countries.
The Board observed that, against the backdrop of the growing breadth and depth of India – Sri Lanka relations, the role of the Foundation in strengthening people-to-people ties has assumed even greater importance. The growing number of proposals received by both Secretariats demonstrates the demand for such engagement and the potential for the Foundation to do more.
In this context, the Board noted the importance of strengthening the Foundation’s financial capacity. An enhanced Corpus Fund would enable the Foundation to respond to a greater number of worthwhile initiatives in both countries, while providing greater opportunities for Sri Lankan institutions and individuals to engage in initiatives relating to India – Sri Lanka relations through exchanges, collaboration and other people-to-people initiatives.
The 41st Board Meeting was held at Zetu, the first Sri Lankan food-inspired restaurant in New Delhi.
The India – Sri Lanka Foundation is jointly administered by Secretariats in New Delhi and Colombo and is governed by a six-member Board of Directors, comprising the High Commissioners of Sri Lanka to India and India to Sri Lanka as ex-officio Co-Chairpersons, and four members nominated by the two Governments.
