The Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission is in the process of compiling details of Sri Lankan students in South India and working on ensuring their safety and welfare. There are around 600 Sri Lankan students all over India dispersed throughout various States. Out of this, in Southern India alone 191 students have registered themselves at this Mission. Details are as follows:
Tamil Nadu 62
Telangana 09
Kerala 04
Andhra Pradesh 04
Karnataka 112
The Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission is in touch with the students and respective institutions to ensure their welfare and has advised all students to keep indoors and remain safe by abiding all precautionary measures. This Mission constantly monitors their situation and is committed to assist and ensure the safety and welfare of the students.
Further, the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Sri Lanka launched “Contact Sri Lanka” a web portal welcoming Sri Lankans living abroad to voluntarily register at www.contactsrilanka.mfa.gov.lk. Registering online in the web portal will allow the Ministry of Foreign Relations to reach out during emergencies such as the COVID 19 outbreak. This portal will connect Overseas Sri Lankans with stakeholders in Sri Lanka and network of Sri Lanka Missions aboard. A dedicated team of officials have already been assigned by the Ministry of Foreign Relations to respond to quarries of Overseas Sri Lankans and also to act as an online help desk during emergencies.
Registration by country will also allow the Ministry of Foreign Relations to propose concrete policy decisions to critical response situations such as evacuation etc., depending on the number of emergency assistance, requests generated. Therefore, Sri Lankans living abroad are invited to benefit from this portal.
Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission
Chennai
27th March, 2020