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Colombo, January 13: The High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha visited the prominent Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo on Friday to pray to Lord Buddha for health, peace and prosperity of the people of Sri Lanka and India and the longstanding friendship between the two countries. The High Commissioner’s spouse, Mrs. Tanuja Jha, accompanied him for the visit.
At the temple, the High Commissioner was welcomed by Venerable Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thero, the Deputy Incumbent of the temple. Venerable Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thero warmly recalled Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the temple in 2017, when he had inaugurated the International Vesak Day Celebrations. Venerable Assaji Thero also shared his learning from the time he studied in India, the land of Lord Buddha’s enlightenment, and underlined the importance of the civilisational ties between the two countries. He blessed High Commissioner Jha and Mrs. Jha by tying pirith noola on their hands after conducting a special Puja at the temple.
The High Commissioner stressed the commitment of India’s leadership to strengthening the multifaceted ties, especially the deep civilisational, historical, religious and cultural bonds. He also discussed with the Venerable Thero the current engagement of the High Commission of India in offering scholarships for the monks for their higher studies in India along with other developmental projects carried out to strengthen the Buddhist ties between both countries, including the recently signed MoU for solar electrification of temples under an USD 10 million Indian grant.
The High Commissioner reiterated India’s abiding commitment to developing an even stronger all-round cooperation with Sri Lanka in line with India’s Neighbourhood First policy, with people being at the centre of this cooperation.
END
Colombo
12 January 2024
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