UNICOM TIC, Jaffna’s New Tech Talent Incubator
By Jekhan Aruliah I know people for whom Rs10k is a lot, and others where Rs1million is not a lot. But for rich and poor one thing is the same. We all have 60 …
K.C.Vignarajah, 1940-2024, An Appreciation
By Jekhan Aruliah I first met Kangasu Chelvadurai Vignarajah, known to many by his initials KC, in 2016. I remember from that first meeting, a dinner of the …
NurtureLeap, turning Jaffna’s raw talent into IT professionals
By Jekhan Aruliah For all its catastrophic consequences COVID-19 lockdowns at least had a silver lining for Sri Lanka’s towns and cities beyond the Western …
University Business Link. Connecting Academic Inspirations to Commercial Markets
By Jekhan Aruliah Entrepreneurs turn ideas into business and money. Rubbish rescued from tips make valuable construction materials and fuels. Microwave ovens …
Building Sri Lankan food security and self sufficiency in Jaffna
By Jekhan Aruliah K.Suganthon was only 21 when he setup his first business back in 2003. With the Sri Lanka Civil War simmering in an uneasy ultimately …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
University of Jaffna’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 …
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 …
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 …
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, …
What the Diaspora can do for Sri Lanka: Chris Ponnadurai, Jetwing Jaffna’s founding General Manager
By Jekhan Aruliah An appreciation on the retirement of a man who fled Sri Lanka’s communal riots in 1984 to settle in Australia, and returned three decades …
Where are the young Northern entrepreneurs? If you know how to look, right in front of you!
By Jekhan Aruliah Colombo has a thriving entrepreneur scene. No shortage of mentors, angels and coffee shops in Colombo. But what about the neglected North? In …
Yarl Geek Challenge developing products, developing services, developing people
By Jekhan Aruliah Shhh! Here’s a secret for all Yarl Geek Challenge (YGC) competitors. If you thought YGC is about creating great products you’d be right. …