300 Sri Lankan Students Receive Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships in Colombo Ceremony
Colombo: As many as 300 Advanced Level school students from all 25 districts across Sri Lanka were awarded the prestigious Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships at a special ceremony held at the Ministry of Education in Colombo.
The scholarships were presented by Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, in the presence of Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education Madhura Senevirathna and India’s Acting High Commissioner Satyanjal Pandey.
According to the Indian High Commission, the scholarship programme provides a monthly grant of LKR 2,500 to Advanced Level students on a merit-cum-means basis. The scheme specifically supports the top six students from each district. This year’s event was significant as scholarships were awarded to two batches simultaneously, covering the period from 2021 to 2024.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Amarasuriya expressed gratitude to the Government of India for its continued support through the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship scheme and other educational initiatives in Sri Lanka. While congratulating the recipients, she recalled the values and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, encouraging students to reflect on his legacy and principles in their personal and academic lives.
Acting High Commissioner Satyanjal Pandey congratulated the awardees and said the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship represents more than financial assistance. He noted that the scholarship is a lifelong recognition and urged students to uphold academic excellence while also carrying forward the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi through their actions and conduct.
Beyond the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships, India continues to offer extensive educational and capacity-building support to Sri Lanka. The Government of India provides around 210 scholarships annually in disciplines such as engineering, technology, arts, science, and indigenous medicine. Additionally, more than 400 fully funded training slots are available every year under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme for Sri Lankan government officials.
The Indian High Commission also highlighted recent bilateral initiatives to strengthen administrative and professional capacity in Sri Lanka. During the state visit of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to India in December 2024, a memorandum of understanding was signed to train 1,500 Sri Lankan civil servants over five years. Subsequently, during the Prime Minister’s visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025, India announced an additional 700 customised training slots annually for Sri Lankan professionals.
According to the Indian High Commission, these combined initiatives enable knowledge exchange and professional development for nearly 1,000 Sri Lankan nationals every year, in addition to existing programmes such as ITEC.
Our Thoughts
The Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship programme reflects the depth of India-Sri Lanka ties beyond diplomacy and trade, focusing on long-term human capital development. By supporting students and professionals across education and governance, India’s approach emphasises shared growth and regional cooperation. For Sri Lanka, such initiatives offer valuable opportunities to strengthen skills, leadership, and institutional capacity, reinforcing people-to-people connections that remain central to bilateral relations.