Author: Jekhan Aruliah
Bringing Swiss Precision to Killinochchi Agriculture
By Jekhan Aruliah I first met Kamilton Arumugam and Lieke Schroder by mistake. We met at my place in Jaffna about a project a mutual friend thought we had a mutual interest.We didn’t, but it was a lucky mistake. I met two rare people, Kamilton returning from Switzerland and Lieke coming from Holland, investing their […]
Women’s Day, Strength and Knowledge through Togetherness
By Jekhan Aruliah “Every day is women’s day” snorted my female friend in Colombo irritably responding to my question over the phone from Jaffna whether she knew 8th March is “Women’s Day”. She is right. Mothers, sisters and daughters will tell you a woman’s day never ends. A woman deals with whatever comes as it […]
Apptimus Tech, Jaffna’s software firm from bedroom to 7,000 square feet in 5 years
By Jekhan Aruliah The Yarl Geek Challenge has a strong record as nursery for tech startups. By 2022, its 11th season, YGC alumni have started more than 60 companies employing hundreds of people. This doesn’t include those who emerge from these companies to setup their own startups. Yes It’s great when competitions and colleges give […]
With people rushing for Sri Lanka’s exit, is anyone coming back?
By Jekhan Aruliah In July 2022 the Sri Lanka Sunday Times reported “Pandemonium at passport office”, reporting people sleeping for days in queues waiting to get their papers stamped. The Ceylon Today newspaper reported in September 2022 that “About 2000 doctors have left so far this year due to the current economic crisis”. With so […]
3AxisLabs another welcome entrant to Jaffna’s IT ecosystem
By Jekhan Aruliah The Yarl Geek Challenge (YGC), run by the Yarl IT Hub, has been a launch pad for hundreds of IT careers, and for a number of successful companies. What YGC showcases is not the products brought by the teams, YGC showcases the people the teams are made up of. Often the YGC’s […]
Xebiro developing European tech in London, Colombo, and Jaffna
By Jekhan Aruliah COVID-19 lockdowns and remote working The COVID-19 pandemic, which had a devastating impact on health and on economies, is having a revolutionary impact on working and learning. Schools and universities were shoved unready from in-class to distance learning. Young people looking forward to a few years of unsupervised love and unhealthy food […]
Diaspora investment in Mullaitivu, Mullai Milk Processing Industries
By Jekhan Aruliah Mr S.Thavaseelan, known as Seelan, was born in Kayts a town at the Northern end of Jaffna’s Velanai Island. His father, who delivered letters for the Ceylon Post Office, died when Seelan was 4 years old. He left the young family with a government pension which his mother supplemented doing other jobs. […]
Wartime organic farming lessons for peacetime
By Jekhan Aruliah There is recent precedent in Sri Lanka for suddenly “going organic”. The Sri Lankan Civil War saw years of economic blockades and embargoes in the North. Some items were totally banned, others were provided in restricted quantities. From ladies’ sanitary pads to batteries to petrol and cement, chemical fertilisers and pesticides many […]
‘s new Dean of the Faculty of Medicine talks about international engagement
By Jekhan Aruliah Interviewing Dr Rajendran Surenthirakumaran (Suren), the newly appointed in September 2021 Dean (Head) of the Faculty of Medicine University of Jaffna, I realised the vital importance of international outreach. International collaboration for expertise, experience, research, and for funding is as key to academia as it is for business. I am impressed how […]
Dragonboats come to Jaffna
By Jekhan Aruliah Northwind Projects, a team promoting sporting and other activities in the Northern Province, successfully brought together the Sri Lankan Navy, the Northern Provincial Council’s Ministry of Education, Cultural Affairs, Sport and Youth Affairs and the Jaffna District Fishermen’s Co-operative Society Union’s Federation. They came together to kick-off dragonboat racing, canoeing, and the […]
Thinking about investing in the Northern Province?
By Jekhan Aruliah A few years ago I was speaking with a main board director of one of Sri Lanka’s largest companies. I asked him, a Jaffna Tamil gentleman approaching retirement, why his company still had not invested in the North several years after the war had ended. What he said put simply is there […]
Don’t listen to the aunties! Young people can find a great career in Tourism and Hospitality
By Jekhan Aruliah I first met Sinnaththurai Jeyakumar in 2020 at a particularly good dinner in Jetwing Jaffna’s elegant restaurant. We had eaten well, enjoyed a bottle of wine, and were feeling good. As we thanked our waiter, he asked if we would like to meet the chef. A moment later there he was. Smart, […]