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300 Sri Lankan Students Awarded Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships in Colombo Ceremony

Three hundred Advanced Level students from every district in Sri Lanka have been awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship in a ceremony in Colombo. The event was attended by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and Acting Indian High Commissioner Satyanjal Pandey, who both addressed the recipients. The scholarship provides monthly financial support on a merit-cum-means basis to top students. This initiative is part of a wider array of Indian educational and capacity-building programs for Sri Lankan nationals, including numerous other scholarships and training slots.

Key Points: Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships Awarded to 300 Sri Lankan Students

  • 300 students from all 25 districts awarded
  • LKR 2,500 monthly merit-cum-means scholarship
  • Ceremony led by Lankan PM & Indian envoy
  • Part of broader India-Sri Lanka capacity-building initiatives
  • Includes ITEC schemes and civil servant training
2 min read

Sri Lanka: Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships awarded to 300 students from all 25 districts

300 A-Level students from all 25 Sri Lankan districts receive Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships from Indian High Commission in Colombo ceremony.

"not merely a financial award... but a recognition for a lifetime - Acting High Commissioner Dr. Satyanjal Pandey"

Colombo, Feb 10

As many as 300 Advanced Level school students from all 25 districts across Sri Lanka were awarded the prestigious Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships by Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, alongside the Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education, Madhura Senevirathna, and Acting High Commissioner Satyanjal Pandey in a special ceremony which took place at Sri Lanka's Ministry of Education in Colombo.

According to the Indian High Commission, under this scholarship programme, an amount of LKR 2,500 is provided monthly to Advanced Level students on a merit-cum-means basis, specifically targetting the top six students from each district. This year's ceremony was notable for awarding scholarships to two batches simultaneously, covering the period from 2021 to 2024.

"Prime Minister Hon (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya expressed her gratitude to the Government of India for providing the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships and for its various other initiatives in Sri Lanka. While congratulating the recipients, the Prime Minister also took the opportunity to recall and share Mahatma Gandhi's thoughts and ideals, encouraging the students to reflect on his legacy," read a statement issued by the Indian HC.

"Congratulating the students on their achievement, Acting High Commissioner Dr. Satyanjal Pandey stressed that the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship is not merely a financial award for needy and meritorious students, but a recognition for a lifetime. He remarked that as awardees, they are expected to not only excel in their academic performance but also to carry and spread the noble ideas of the great leader throughout their lives," it added.

Beyond these scholarships, the Government of India offers approximately 210 annual scholarships in fields such as engineering, technology, arts, science, and indigenous medicine. Over 400 fully-paid slots are available under the ITEC scheme for Sri Lankan government officials.

Additionally, during the State Visit of President of Sri Lanka Anura Kumara Dissanayake in December 2024, an MoU was signed to train 1500 Sri Lankan civil servants over a period of five years in India and also during the State Visit of the Prime Minister in April 2025, India offered 700 additional customized capacity-building training slots each year for Sri Lankan professionals.

"Taken together, these capacity-building initiatives of India cover knowledge exchange and professional development for around 1000 Sri Lankan nationals each year - over and above existing training programmes such as the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme," the Indian HC noted.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
It's good to see our foreign aid going directly to empower students. The merit-cum-means basis ensures it reaches the right people. However, I hope there is a robust tracking mechanism to ensure the funds are used properly and the students' progress is monitored. We should also have similar robust scholarships for our own rural students.
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Aman W
Building bridges through education and capacity building is the smartest foreign policy. The ITEC slots and training for civil servants create lasting people-to-people connections. This is how you build a stable and prosperous neighborhood. More power to such initiatives!
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Sarah B
As someone who works in international development, I'm impressed by the scale and thought behind this. Covering all 25 districts ensures inclusivity, and combining it with values-based leadership (Gandhian ideals) is a holistic approach. The focus on indigenous medicine scholarships is also a nice touch, respecting local knowledge systems.
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Karthik V
Gandhiji's ideals belong to the world. Happy to see them being promoted among our neighbors. LKR 2500 monthly might not seem huge, but for a deserving student from a humble background, it can make all the difference between continuing studies or dropping out. Small support, big impact.
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Nikhil C
This is positive, but let's be balanced. While we extend scholarships abroad, our own higher education system needs massive investment. Our IITs/NITs are overcrowded, and many state colleges lack basic facilities. Charity begins at home too. We must strengthen our domestic capacity while being a generous neighbor.

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