KLF to foster Odisha-Sri Lanka relationship

Odisha Channel Bureau New Delhi, Aug 19: A delegation of Kalinga Lanka Foundation (KLF), on the first-ever meeting with its new ex-officio Patron-in-Chief Sudharshan Seneviratne, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in India, raised five key issues of mutual cooperation between Odisha and Sri Lanka here on Tuesday.The delegation led by Debi Prasad Bagchi, former Chief Secretary of Odisha, apprised the High Commissioner with the opportunities in Odisha and highlighted five areas of common interest – cooperation in tourism promotion; education and skill development; joint research in Buddhist heritage of ancient Kalinga; trade relations in textile, gems and jewellery; and encouraging development of art and culture.The other members of the delegation include Jatin Das, distinguished painter, Roshan Wijesekara, former Country Manager of Sri Lankan Airlines, Alpana Nayak, Odishi Guru and dance exponent, Harihar Patra, leading hotelier and Sameer Kumar Das, travel consultant.Kalinga Lanka Foundation, the Delhi/NCR based cultural organisation, was launched on May 29 2014 by Prasad Kariyawasam, the then High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in India (presently the Ambassador of Sri Lanka in USA) and Lalit Mansingh, former Foreign Secretary of India who is also the founder President of the organization.Founded by like minded people from Odisha and Sri Lanka, the objective of Kalinga Lanka Foundation is to revive the ancient trade and cultural linkages between the two regions.The Foundation intends to open its branches at Bhubaneswar and Colombo.