CONSULATE GENERAL OF INDIA JAFFNA

Consulate General of India, Jaffna was inaugurated by the Hon´ble EAM Shri S.M. Krishna on 27th November, 2010 and the Consulate General has become functional since then.

Jurisdiction of the Consulate General:

The Jurisdiction of the Consulate General includes five districts of Northern Province viz. Jaffna, Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavunia with Jaffna as the seat of the Consular Post.

Visa related information:

Visa applications are submitted at VFS India Visa Application Centre (IVAC), located at 89, Brown Road, Jaffna. The VFS Lanka (Pvt) Limited has been authorized by Consulate General of India, Jaffna to accept these applications, collect India visa fees (as applicable) and VFS IVAC visa processing charges of LKR 174.00 only per visa application and return the Passports to the applicants after due process.

The contact details of the VFS IVAC contact details are:

Call Centre - 011-4505588 and Fax : 011-4505552
E-mail id : info.inlk@vfshelpline.com
Website : www.vfs-in-lk.com

All applications should be applied on line using the above website. For other details, please visit the website of the High Commission of India, Colombo viz. www.hcicolombo.org

Cultural Activities Organized:

Visit of Kathakali Group: A Kathakali Group of P.S.V. Natyasangam, Kottakal, Kerala visited Jaffna and gave a performance on 30th January, 2011. The performance was well received by the local public.
Puducherry Blue Painting Exhibition: The “Puducherry Blue” Painting Exhibition was inaugurated by the Hon´ble Governor of Northern Province Major General (Retd.) G.A. Chandrasiri on 5th May, 2011 and the Exhibition was held from 6-8 May, 2011 at the Kumaraswamy Hall, Jaffna Hindu College, Jaffna. The Exhibition was visited by more than 2000 people from various walks of life.
Indian Education Fair 2011: The first ever Indian Education Fair was held in Jaffna on 17-18 May, 2011 at the premises of the Jaffna Public Library, Jaffna. It was organized by the EdCIL India Limited, a Government of India Public Enterprise with the help of the Event Manager of the Fair, Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services. The Fair was inaugurated by the Vice Chancellor of the Jaffna University, Prof. Vasanthi Arasaratnam. 12 Educational Institutions of India, involved in various disciplines such as Engineering, Management, Arts, etc. participated in the Fair. The Fair was visited by more than 950 people in Jaffna.
Harmony and Rhythm Painting Exhibition: displayed at Kumarasamy Hall, Jaffna Hindu College in Jaffna from 4-6 August 2011was inaugurated by the Hon´ble Governor of Northern Province Major General (Retd.) G.A. Chandrasiri and evoked a good response with over 1000 people visiting the exhibition.
Concerts of Eminent Carnatic Vocalist T. M. Krishna: On the occasion of International Day of Non-Violence, Mahatma Gandhi´s Birth anniversary, Consulate General of India, Jaffna and the Department of Culture, Northern Province of Sri Lanka organized a Grand Musical Concert by the eminent Carnatic vocalist Mr. T.M. Krishna & troupe in Jaffna on 02 October 2011. The Concert, first in the series of three in a row, all under the auspices of both the organizers, was held at Veerasingam Hall, Jaffna and was inaugurated by the Chief Guest Hon´ble Douglas Devananda, Minister of Traditional Industries & Small Enterprises Development of Sri Lanka. Mr. V. Mahalingam, Consul General of India, Jaffna and Mrs. Yogeswaray Patgunarajah, Mayor, Jaffna Municipal Council were the Guests of Honour.
The Concert was attended by more than 750 cultural enthusiasts. Mr. T. M. Krishna enthralled the audience with his awe-inspiring voice and strict adherence to grammer in the classical Carnatic music. Befitting the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi´s birthday, he sang a melodius song eulogizing the great soul and his contribution to the noble principle of Ahimsa. The Concert was a grand success and there were requests for many such cultural programmes from the audience. The accompanying artistes of Mr. T.M. Krishna include Ms. Akkarai S. Subbulakshmi (Violin), Mr. Kallidaikurichi S. Sivakumar (Mridangam), Mr. Giridhar Udupa (Ghatam/clay pot) and Mr. Alathur T. Rajganesh (Ganjira/tambourine).
The second Concert was held on 03 October 2011 at Killinochchi Maha Vithiyalam Hall. Hon´ble M. Chandrakumar, Member of Parliament was the Chief Guest and Mrs. R. Ketheswaran, Government Agent, Killinochchi was the Guest of Honour. Mr. Raghu Ram, Consul from the Consulate General of India was the Chairperson for the event. The Carnatic Music Concert, which was the first of its kind to be ever organized in Killinochchi for years, rekindled the passion for fine arts among the 250 and more audience.
The third Concert was held on 04 October 2011 at Urban Council Hall, Vavunia. Hon´ble G.A. Chandrasiri, Governor of Northern Province graced the concert as Chief Guest. Mr. K. Raghu Ram, Consul, Consulate General of India was present. This Concert was also a runaway success with participation of more than 500 music fans.

Cultural programmes organised under the Ministry of Culture Grants

Carnatic vocal performance “Senthamil Isai Amuthamn” by Mr Thavanathan Robert was organised by Thirumarai Kalamantram on February 7, 2012.

Bharatnatyam dance “Theem Thananaa” by Mrs Ahaliya Rajabarthy and Mrs Sutharsinh Karansan was organised by Thirumarai Kalamantran on March 4, 2012

An exhibition of 45 digital copies of Rabindranath Tagore paintings was organised by Ramanatham Academy of Fine Arts (RAFA), Art & Design Unit from February 27-29, 2012 at Library Auditorium, University of Jaffna

An event named “Kalai Maalai” was organised by Dance Department of RAFA on March 31, 2012.

A three day Cultural festival was held in Jaffna, Sri Lanka titled “Divine Ecstasy” (known as Theiveega Suga Anubhavam in Tamil Language) from August 16-18, 2012 coinciding with the famous Nallur Festival in Jaffna. The festival jointly organised by the Department of Cultural Affairs of Northern Province, Consulate General of India, Jaffna and the India-Sri Lanka Foundation was set in a unique format comprising of three Workshops for the Students of the Ramanathan Academy of Fine Arts and Jaffna University and two open air performance.

The highlight of the festival was the mesmerising performance by the famous Carnatic Classical singer Shri P Unnikrshnan with his Kacheri for over two hours; a scintillating Bharatnatyam performance from Smt Alarmel Valli. The above events were held in the open venue at Sankilyan Thoppu , Jaffna which was packed to capacity with estimated crowd of more than 5000 music lovers thronging the venue, a first in the last three decades in Jaffna.

Carnatic music exponent from India Shri T M Krishna, held a cameo performance and a workshop for the music loving students of Northern Province at the Veerasingham Hall, Jaffna.

The India-Sri Lanka Foundation has been set up with the primary objective to foster India-Sri Lanka relations through enhancing scientific, economic and cultural cooperation between India and Sri Lanka and also to promote greater understanding between the people of the two countries. Activities of the India-Sri Lanka Foundation, programmes undertaken and the projects funded are given in the website of the High Commission of India, Colombo under Caption “India-Sri Lanka Foundation”.

Individuals, Institutions and Groups which are interested to approach the Foundation with proposals which could meet the stated objectives of the Foundation can surf the website www.hcicolombo.org for further details.

The fourth edition of the Jaffna International Trade Fair 2013 is being held in Jaffna from January 18-20,2013. India participated in this fair as a Partner country for the last three consecutive years and for 2013 India has again been declared as Partner country. In JITF 2012, forty Indian companies participated in the fair, of which the largest contingent of ten companies were under the banner of FIEO. There were eight individual participants, twenty large corporate groups trough their local agents/distributors and five trade delegates from as many companies who participated in the Fair.

Further details to participate in the exhibition can be accessed through the exhibitors website www.saexhibitions.com or can be obtained by email to: hoc.jaffna@mea.gov.in

In coordination with the High Commission of India, Colombo, Education Consultants of India Ltd, New Delhi, and Lanka Exhibition & Conference Services (Pvt) Ltd., Colombo the Second Education Fair 2013 is to be held in Jaffna from March 5-6, 2013. The fair brings together several Educational Institutions and Consultants from India who show-case the various higher educational opportunities and e-learning facilities available in India for school and college going students.

Further details to participate in the exhibition can be accessed through the exhibitors website www.saexhibitions.com or can be obtained by email to: cul.jaffna@mea.gov.in

The present Consul General of India, V. Mahalingam, has 20 years of experience in the field of diplomacy. The Consul General, who is an Engineer and a Management Graduate, had earlier worked in Indian Missions viz. Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Zagreb.