Feb 23, Jaffna: High Commissioner of India Ashok K. Kantha and Governor of Sri Lanka's Northern Province G.A. Chandrasiri jointly inaugurated the 'India Corner' at the Consulate General of India in Jaffna Saturday (23).

The High Commission of India in a release said today the 'India Corner' which has been informally functioning since January 2013 will enhance cultural outreach of the Consulate General of India in Jaffna by further popularizing Indian classical music and dance amongst the people of Northern Province.

The Corner is similar to the Indian Cultural Centre in Colombo and is supported by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. It will have full calendar of cultural events benefitting the people of Northern Province.

Speaking on the occasion, High Commissioner emphasized the special relationship that exists between the people of Northern Province in general, the Jaffna Peninsula in particular and people from India.

He said the 'India Corner' had been established with the purpose of further enhancing this special relationship through exchanges in the field of culture and arts particularly in view of the fact that over the centuries, Jaffna had stood at the cross-roads of history, culture and religion, kings and kingdom, arts, dance and literature.

High Commissioner further highlighted about the remarkable cultural space and convergence between Northern Province and India.

Kantha also highlighted Indian government's cultural initiatives in the Northern Province including the plans for the Jaffna Cultural Centre assistance to the Ramanathan Academy of Fine Arts in construction of an Open Air Theatre, exchange of faculty and students between this Academy and Kalakshetra Foundation in South India and organization of a three-day Cultural event during the Nallur Festival like last year.

The High Commissioner also symbolically donated Tamil books, audio compact discs and school bags to school children as a part of a project by the Consulate General of India to provide 5000 primary level school books and audio compact Discs on various subjects in Tamil for distribution amongst needy school children in 250 primary schools of the Northern Province.

The High Commissioner also invited the assembled audience to the exclusive Indian Education Fair being held in Jaffna on March 5th and 6th 2013.

Senior government officials of Northern Province, prominent personalities in the cultural and academic fields as well as media persons were present on the occasion.