High Commission of India
Colombo

PRESS RELEASE

A decisive step towards operationalization of the Jaffna Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre

On 18 September 2026, a Trust was formally established to administer and manage the Jaffna Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre. The Trust will act as an interim governing body which will provide the necessary administrative and financial autonomy for sustained operations of the Centre. The Trust Board comprises four ex-officio members: Municipal Commissioner of Jaffna, Mayor of Jaffna Municipal Council, a Minister of Northern Provincial Administration (or nominee), and Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs. The remaining five members are eminent experts representing Arts & Culture, Commerce, Education, Law, and Science & Technology, all from Jaffna.

2. Built with grant assistance of USD 12 million from Government of India, the state-of the art facility features a two-storey museum, a 600-plus seat theatre-style auditorium, an 11-storey learning tower, and a public amphitheater. The foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister of India, H. E. Shri Narendra Modi, during his visit to Jaffna in March 2015.
3. The Centre was inaugurated in March 2022 and dedicated to the people of Sri Lanka in February 2023. The Trust constituted on 18 September 2026 is an effective transitional mechanism that will build institutional capacity so that the Centre becomes operational with  financial self-sustainability, until it is handed over to the Municipal Council of Jaffna.
4. The Trust will thus contribute towards the early realization of the vision of the Jaffna Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre becoming a vibrant hub for artistic, cultural and academic enrichment of the youth and people of Jaffna and the Northern Province.

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Colombo

20 September 2026

Tamil PR - A decisive step towards operationalization of the Jaffna Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre