Guest Column

By Jeevan Thiyagaraja Generations have scattered across the globe while others remained, tending to the soil of their ancestors through the unimaginable. Though separated by oceans and time, all share the same roots. The time has come for the North to reclaim its narrative—a Tamil Renaissance where a smart, confident, and contented North acts as catalyst for a proud, cultured, and developed community found around the world. I. The Ancient Maritime Spirit: A Legacy of Global Connection Long b

By: Dr. Gamini Goonetilleke The contrasting stories of the oil tank farm in Trincomalee and the development of Jurong Island, located to the southwest of mainland Singapore, provide a powerful example of how vision, planning, and governance can shape the destiny of strategic assets. Both locations possess significant geographical advantages and lie along major maritime routes. Yet, while Jurong Island has grown into a global energy and petrochemical hub, the Trincomalee oil tanks have r

By M.R. Narayan Swamy Indian-origin Tamils, descendants of indentured labourers brought to Sri Lanka in the 19th century, are steadily moving away from the tea plantations that once defined their existence. After generations of living a hand-to-mouth existence, many are finding success in new fields emerging as a more empowered ethnic group. Yet, for the tens of thousands who still toil in the tea estates poverty and entrenched racism remain daily realities. Community leaders speak about signi

By Nilantha Ilangamuwa Never forget: the Iran–Iraq war raged for eight brutal years. Iran survived. Saddam Hussein, once courted by the West for strategic gain, was dragged from his hideout near Tikrit and executed after a deeply flawed Iraqi tribunal. Today, Trump toys with another reckless scheme to destabilise Iran, a continuation of his “decapitation project,” even as Tehran struggles with fractures demanding the immediate redesigning and re‑engineering of its governing structure in the sty

By M.R. Narayan Swamy How did Hindu temples come to dot the skyline in parts of Southeast Asia at a time when Buddhism too was spreading its wings? To answer this, we need to turn to the visionary Pallava kings, who ruled a sprawling region in southern India with Kanchipuram as their capital, overcoming military defeats with patience, confidence, and bravery. And who better to unveil this story than William Dalrymple, one of Scotland’s foremost historians, who has made Delhi his home and has