Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visits Nallur Kandaswamy temple in Jaffna

Colombo [Sri Lanka]: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday visited the Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil temple in Jaffna during her three-day official visit to Sri Lanka.

"Smt @nsitharaman visits Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil in Jaffna during her three-day official visit to Sri Lanka," as per the Finance Minister's office's official handle on 'X'.

Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil or Nallur Murugan Kovil is a Hindu temple in Sri Lanka's Jaffna. The temple is a socially important institution, standing as a symbol of the Hindu identity of the Sri Lankan Tamils.

Many temples have been built in Europe and North America using the same name as a cultural memory.

The presiding deity is Lord Muruga (son of Lord Siva a.k.a. Karthikeya) in the form of the holy Vel. The idol of the Nallur Devi or goddess was gifted to the temple in the 10 century AD by the Chola queen Sembiyan Mahadevi, in the style of Sembian bronzes, according to the official website of India's Consulate General in Sri Lanka.

Sitharaman on Thursday said India will soon send its teacher trainers to Sri Lanka, who will work with local teachers and abreast them with the latest developments in the teaching field and enhance their teaching skills to meet the growing needs and aspirations of students from Malayaha Tamils.

"We will soon send Teacher Trainers who will work with local Teachers and abreast them with the latest developments in the teaching field and enhance their teaching skills to meet the growing needs and aspirations of students from Malayaha Tamils. It will provide a holistic developmental framework for the Malayaha Community and make an impact on their livelihood," the Union Finance Minister said.

Sitharaman made the remarks while addressing 'NAAM 200' organised by the Sri Lankan government to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the arrival of India-origin Tamils (IOTs) to Sri Lanka.

"Education transforms, empowers and enhances social mobility. That's why the Government of India has given a special focus on educational support to you as part of its developmental partnership over decades. It was with this idea the Ceylon Estate Workers Education Trust (CEWET) was established way back in 1947," she added.

She said CEWET is going strong with over 700 scholarships being awarded to students for studying in Sri Lanka and India every year.

"We also offer over 200 scholarships to students of Sri Lanka for higher education in India," she said.

"Today, we are also dedicating the upgraded Thondaman Vocational Training Centre in Hatton to the Malayaha Community, which will assist in enhancing skill requirements," Sitharaman added.

The Union Finance Minister said when Sri Lanka was grappling with an unprecedented economic crisis last year, "we felt it was our duty to stand with our friends in Sri Lanka. We could not bear the difficulties our friends in Sri Lanka had to face. Our government and the people of India acted collectively and came to the assistance in record time".

The Union Finance Minister on Wednesday embarked on the three-day visit to the Emerald Isle.

Sitharaman marked her official visit to Sri Lanka by inaugurating the State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Trincomalee.

The Ministry of Finance posted from its official handle on X, "Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman inaugurated the State Bank of India @TheOfficialSBI Branch in Trincomalee, today, during her official visit to Sri Lanka. H.E. Mr. @S_Thondaman, Governor of Eastern Province, Sri Lanka; Shri Gopal Baglay, India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, and Chairman @TheOfficialSBI Shri Dinesh Khara were also present at the inauguration." (ANI)