High Commission of India

Colombo 

PRESS RELEASE

Empowering Plantation Youth: High Commission of India Expands CEWET Scholarship Scheme to 700 Students

    Reaffirming its unwavering commitment to the social and educational empowerment of Sri Lanka's plantation community, the High Commission of India organized the Ceylon Estate Workers Education Trust (CEWET) scholarship awarding ceremony at the Taj Samudra Hotel on August 10, 2026. The landmark event was attended by Chief Guest Hon. Deputy Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Mr. Sunderlingam Pradeep, High Commissioner H.E. Santosh Jha, the Deputy High Commissioner, Members of the CEWET Board of Management, and student scholars alongside their parents, celebrating 79 years of CEWET’s dedicated service to the nation. 

2. A central highlight of the event was the official implementation of the enhanced CEWET framework, following announcements made during the visit of India’s Vice President, H.E. Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, in April this year. To solidify this commitment, the Government of India contributed an additional one-time grant of INR 200 million to the CEWET corpus fund, directly enabling the trust to double its annual student beneficiaries from 350 to 700. Additionally, monthly scholarships have been substantially enhanced to LKR 2,500 for Advanced Level students and LKR 7,500 for university undergraduates, delivering vital financial support to deserving youth across the plantation sector.
   
   
3. H.E. High Commissioner Santosh Jha highlighted that India and Sri Lanka share deep civilizational ties, with the Indian Origin Tamil (IOT) community serving as a vital living bridge. Emphasizing that knowledge is an indestructible asset, he outlined broader Indian educational support under the INR 75 Crore package, including STEM training for over 2,000 teachers, study materials for over 10,000 students, infrastructure upgrades in 9 plantation schools, and the setting up of 60 smart classrooms. 
   
   
4. Hon. Deputy Minister Sunderlingam Pradeep expressed deep gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government for their enduring support, describing the bilateral relation as a brotherly bond. Commending H.E. High Commissioner Santosh Jha for his proactive dedication, the Deputy Minister emphasized that investing in education drives long-term community development, noting that education remains the most effective tool to overcome historical disadvantages, break barriers of backwardness, and secure social equality.
   
   
5. This milestone event added another chapter to the close Sri Lanka–India educational cooperation, complementing wide-ranging human resource development initiatives such as ICCR scholarships, ITEC professional training, and capacity-building programs. 

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Colombo

14 August 2026