A proposal to provide interest-free loans for private university education will be submitted to the Cabinet next week, acting Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.

While addressing a meeting in Ruwanwella he said the proposal on the interest-free loan to be granted annually to five thousand students who have failed to gain the opportunity to enter government universities despite passing the advanced level examination, will be submitted to the Cabinet next week.

An interest-free loan amounting to Rs.900,000 will be available for studies under this loan scheme.

An amount of Rs.300,000 will also available for daily expenses. After the completion of studies, another two years will be available to repay this loan without interest.

Interest-free loan for private university education

A proposal to provide interest-free loans for private university education will be submitted to the Cabinet next week, acting Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.

While addressing a meeting in Ruwanwella he said the proposal on the interest-free loan to be granted annually to five thousand students who have failed to gain the opportunity to enter government universities despite passing the advanced level examination, will be submitted to the Cabinet next week.

An interest-free loan amounting to Rs.900,000 will be available for studies under this loan scheme.

An amount of Rs.300,000 will also available for daily expenses. After the completion of studies, another two years will be available to repay this loan without interest.

People, in their tens of thousands, millions, billions, trillions, come and go in this world.

Some people leave their mark.

He was gone as a victim of nature, but the mark he made remains forever.

This brief note is about the long story left behind by Mangala.

He knew the game of changing the world.

He entered that game with a penchant for novelty, a liking to be new.

There’s no argument. Mangala had the undying youth in him.

The moment of youthfulness in a glass of whiskey with fresh cubes of ice prevailed like a mist throughout his political life.

He also sensed that in the pugnacious smell of a Havana cigar.

That eye was owlish. That eye was sharp at dusk when others got tired.

That face with an eternal smile. Like a deer’s, that smile blooms towards the world.

That breath was the breath of a human. A human breath resentful of people getting killed or getting repressed.

Making mistakes – correcting those mistakes were the lessons learnt by the heart of Mangala.

Mangala, who fought fearlessly against political iconizing, was not a man who wished to be an icon.

He asked that the game be played according to one’s conscience without falling to racism and religious extremism.

Each has to account for their own way of doing things.

People, in their tens of thousands, millions, billions, trillions, come and go in this world.

Some people, leave an indelible mark.

It won Best Documentary Short film at the 95th Academy Awards, beating contenders like Stranger at the Gate and How do you Measure a Year?

The documentary tells the story of an indigenous couple named Bomman and Bellie as they care for an orphaned baby elephant.

The film explores the precious bond between the animal and his caretakers.

In her acceptance speech, director Kartiki Gonsalves said, “I stand here today to speak of the sacred bond between us and our natural world, for the respect of indigenous communities and empathy towards other living beings we share space with, and finally, coexistence.”

Producer Guneet Monga shared the news of the win with an Instagram post: “Tonight is historic as this is the first ever Oscar for an Indian production. India’s Glory with 2 women.”

The Elephant Whisperers is the first Indian film to win an Oscar in this category. Two other films nominated in the Best Documentary Short category in the past – The House That Ananda Built in 1969 and An Encounter With Faces in 1979 – failed to get the trophy.

Shot in the Theppakadu Elephant Camp inside the Mudumulai Tiger Reserve in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, The Elephant Whisperers follows Bomman and Bellie as they care for Raghu, an injured baby elephant who gets separated from his herd. Later, Belli is also given the responsibility to care for Ammu, a female elephant calf.

The couple belong to the Kattunayakan community, a tribal group that has been protecting the forest for generations. 

Once they begin living together as a family, the humans and animals forge a close bond. 

When Raghu reaches adolescence, the state’s forest department takes him away and places him with another caretaker who is more experienced in handling elephants in this life stage. The couple are heartbroken and miss Raghu deeply.

The documentary is permeated with moving scenes that capture the love and devotion the elephants and their human caretakers have for each other. In one scene, baby elephant Ammu wipes away Bellie’s tears when she breaks down over Raghu’s separation.

Reacting to the Oscar win, Bomman told BBC Tamil that though they were happy about the award, “we are sad that Raghu is not with us now”.

The Oscar for the heart-warming story is being celebrated by many Indians who have taken to twitter to praise the documentary.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the film “wonderfully highlights the importance of sustainable development and living in harmony with nature”.

MP and senior leader of the opposition Congress party Rahul Gandhi congratulated Ms Gonsalves and Ms Monga. “These two women have made India proud with their heart-warming showcase of the beauty and importance of wildlife conservation,” he tweeted. 

BBC News