Series of events appreciating upcountry Tamils to be hosted

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to conduct a series of events to appreciate the consistent contribution rendered by the Upcountry Tamils towards Sri Lanka’s economy during the last two centuries.

Accordingly, a series of events in February 2023 to commemorate two hundred years since the arrival of the first group of Upcountry Tamils to Sri Lanka from India, who contributed to more than one third of the income made by the plantation sector.

These events are to be conducted by the Ministry of Plantation, together with other relevant government agencies.

Upcountry Tamil estate workers who are more than 150,000 in number, residing mainly in Central, Sabaragamuwa and Southern Provinces, have been a significant part of both, Sri Lanka’s economy and culture.