Economy

Sri Lanka’s first female surf club at Arugam Bay breaks gender norms

Published

1 year ago

November 16, 2024

Oceans. Deserts. Rivers. Valleys. The skies. The sun. Mountains. Waves. Sea-shells. Sand. Earth. Mud. Grass. Shrubs. Trees. Forests. Fruits. The vegetation. Food. The breeze. The bounty.

In Sri Lanka we are surrounded by almost all of these, with the exception of deserts, living as we are in a lush and diverse country. Yet, how many of us immerse ourselves in these bountiful wonders? Have we cared to glance up at the skies or dip our feet in the frilled rush of the seas… the waves or test its crest?

Do we encourage our youngsters to do this? Or do we trap them day and night in the unending churning of crammed indifference that passes off as education?

In a backdrop where any sport or aesthetic activity and spending time in nature is seen generally as a waste of time by teachers and parents alike, we now turn to a teenager of mixed parentage whose Sri Lankan father and British mother are avid fans of the seas, living and bringing up their offspring near the surfing hub of Arugam Bay. Naturally their two children, Mili and Jay Hayllar tested their childhood feet more on water than land and probably focused more on swimming than walking. We now feature the surfing passion of Mili who was recently given prominence in the Pacific Long Boarder magazine. She was probably one of few young women to surf wearing a saree and photographed by surfing photographer Inna Rabotyagina clad in an iconic red saree – an image that took the surfing world by storm.

Mili and the seas of Arugam Bay

As Mili describes her relationship with the seas of Arugam Bay she reveals that it is a fact that she toddled first into the vast oceans.

“I grew up in the east coast of Sri Lanka. My journey with the ocean started at three months – the age I learnt to swim. I trained in swimming directly in the periphery of the seas. My mum thought it would be beneficial for both my brother and I to be connected to the waves at a young age as we lived next to it. I first started to surf when I was around five years of age but never really got into it. However since the lockdown time of COVID I absolutely fell in love with surfing as a teen and had more time to dedicate to the required skill.”

Do young women surf as equally as men and how is the trend amongst Lankans? Below is the response given by Mili.

“Growing up I never realised the severe lack of Sri Lankan women representation in surfing. It was only during the COVID pandemic that it became apparent to me that progression and advancement was only possible with support. I felt most supported by the Arugam Bay Surf Club members. Even though it seems stereotypical for men in developing countries to disparage women, I had the exact opposite experience. The Sri Lanka Surf Club boys made me feel welcomed and supported me throughout my whole journey in surfing. They always wanted me to succeed and tried their best to give me tips wherever they saw I could improve. And that is why I felt comfortable enough to be the first female member of the Arugam Bay Surf Club,” Mili explains.

In the conversation with her we covered ground on the topic of women’s emancipation and its connection with sports – with emphasis on the liberation it feels when one connects with the natural world as most sports do. Contrary to general assumptions that sports especially ones such as surfing which requires much time outdoors, may keep concentration away from academic pursuits, Mili argues that in fact it increases brain performance.

Conquering the waves

“I would definitely recommend surfing as a sport for Sri Lankan youth. The relationship you build with the ocean and the ones around you are life changing. Waking up early and taking the challenge of conquering the waves clears your mind and focuses you to study. Because of my academic achievements, I was fortunately accepted to study in the UK.”

Having recently moved to Britain to pursue her higher education she notes that she plans to explore surf opportunities there, but describes herself as a tropical girl at heart and states that nothing will compare to the warm waves back home in Sri Lanka.

Asked about her being photographed surfing in a saree she says, “I have had the great pleasure of knowing Inna for a little over four years now. Her talent in surf photography has never ceased to amaze me. Inna approached me with the concept of the shoot about a year before we brought it to life. Events got in the way but I realised that this photography expedition was something that I needed to do especially before leaving Sri Lanka.”

Asked to speak about growing up living next to the sea with her older brother who is equally addicted to riding the waves she describes Jay as her surfing instructor and chief inspiration in her taking surfing seriously for the long haul.

“Not only did my brother teach me to surf but he had a partial role in teaching me to swim. I never had to learn off coaches or enrol in surf schools. My brother had encompassed all the knowledge that I needed to know. He taught me everything from the very basics to the more complex concepts in surfing. Surfing has made my brother and me closer for the better and we will always have that common interest.”

No waves in Sri Lanka compare to the waves in Arugam Bay

Asked what the surf scene is like when one looks at the different coastal areas of Sri Lanka, she points out that there are no other waves in Sri Lanka that compare to the waves in the east coast of Arugam Bay.

“I surf different waves around the island and I yearn to be back home in Arugam Bay. I have just recently had the opportunity to surf in the south coast of the UK, and even though it was cold, the community here makes it worthwhile.”

As we leave Mili and her love for mastering the moody waves of the ocean we look forward to featuring in our next editions on how Sri Lankans could get to know and explore their own country as much as foreigners. We will keep in mind that during the COVID international closure for much of 2020 and 2021, it is the Sri Lankan traveller who kept the tourism industry alive. We will in our writing, pay attention as we do in this edition, on the responsibility we Sri Lankans have in ensuring this paradise isle is not transformed by our indifferent and mindless actions into a vast garbage dump where any visitor has to skip over non-biodegradable rubbish every 100 yards.

Economy

Over 80% state university graduates are migrating

Published

4 days ago

February 28, 2026

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Sri Lanka is undergoing a brain drain crisis where a new study from the University of Peradeniya reveals that over 50 per cent of state university graduates, rising to 80-90 per cent in critical fields like medicine, engineering, and agriculture, are migrating permanently, never to return, according to a recent article by Ceylon Public Affairs.

The article which explores brain drain levels in 2025 mentions that the Sri Lankan government spends Rs. 87 billion yearly on university education in which many believe this has turned free education into a “development aid programme” for richer countries, with the best and brightest doctors, engineers, and scientists contributing to the economies of the West while Sri Lanka grapples with a 24.5 per cent poverty rate.

“Yearly, 42,000 undergraduates are educated across disciplines such as arts (25 per cent), management (20 per cent), engineering (13 per cent), and medicine (10 per cent). However, this system is inadvertently fuelling a migration of skilled workers. According to the University of Peradeniya study, the brightest graduates—those with science-based degrees—are leaving in droves, with migration rates exceeding 80 per cent in some departments.” Ceylon Public Affairs says.

Ceylon Public Affairs says that the reason for such high levels of brain drain is due to both economic and social realities. Low wages and high unemployment worsened by the country’s recent economic crisis, including a sovereign default and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that pushes graduates to seek opportunities abroad. Meanwhile, the private and public sectors in Sri Lanka struggle to offer salaries competitive with global markets, trapping the nation in what economists call the middle-income trap.

Economy

Luxury Cruise Ship ‘Crystal Symphony’ Docks in Trincomalee

Published

6 days ago

February 26, 2026

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The luxury cruise ship Crystal Symphony has arrived in Sri Lanka, carrying a group of European tourists.

Renowned globally as a high-end cruise vessel offering premium amenities, the Crystal Symphony is a popular choice among travelers.

The ship, which has the capacity to accommodate 900 passengers and 500 crew members, is equipped with a wide range of specialized luxury facilities.

The facilities provided by the Crystal Symphony include exclusive cabin rooms, restaurants serving international cuisine, swimming pools, theaters and music halls, and library facilities.

The Crystal Symphony arrived at the Trincomalee Harbour yesterday.

The vessel arrived in the country from the Bahamas with 558 tourists on board.

These tourists visited popular attractions in Trincomalee, as well as iconic travel destinations such as Dambulla and Sigiriya.

Meanwhile,within the first 45 days of the year, 436,666 tourists have arrived in the country.

During this month alone, the number of tourist arrivals stands at 159,339.

Economy

Court of Appeal Restores Order in Tuk-Tuk Licence Dispute

Published

1 week ago

February 23, 2026

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Sri Lanka prides itself on being governed by law, not by press conferences. That principle was reaffirmed on 19th February 2026, when the Court of Appeal intervened in the escalating controversy over whether foreign tourists may lawfully drive tuk-tuks in Sri Lanka using International Driving Permits together with covering permits issued under Sri Lankan law.

In C.A. (Writ) 1154/25, Hon. Justice Dhammika Ganepola and Hon. Justice Adithya Patabendige granted Interim Orders preserving the existing legal framework and restoring the position that prevailed before media reports on or about 20th November 2025 suggested that foreign visitors could no longer drive tuk-tuks on the strength of International Driving Permits.

Sri Lanka is a Contracting State to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic. The Convention is founded on reciprocity: member states recognise each other’s International Driving Permits to ensure uniform and predictable cross-border mobility. To give domestic effect to these obligations, Sri Lanka enacted regulations through Gazette No. 11,603 of 1958 under the Motor Car (Convention) Ordinance – regulations that remain valid and in force.

Under that statutory framework, a foreign visitor holding a valid International Driving Permit may lawfully drive in Sri Lanka upon obtaining a local covering permit issued either by the Department of Motor Traffic or by the Automobile Association of Ceylon, which is expressly designated by law for that purpose.

This is not an administrative concession. It is the governing legal scheme.

For decades, tourists have driven tuk-tuks under this regime without controversy. Businesses, such as the Petitioner in this case, have structured operations around it. Hundreds of Sri Lankan families depend on it for livelihood. The framework reflects not only domestic regulation but Sri Lanka’s commitment to international comity – the mutual respect of rights arising under treaty obligations.

When the matter came before Court, the Bench held that a serious question of public law arises as to whether the impugned decision was made within statutory authority or contrary to the governing legal framework. The Court further held that permitting the directive to operate pending final determination would adversely affect existing permits and business operations, whereas interim relief would merely preserve the status quo ante.

Accordingly, Interim Orders were granted.

The legality of the purported directive will now be tested in Court. Until that determination is made, the law as it stands continues to govern.

Mr. Avindra Rodrigo, President’s Counsel, with Ashiq Hassim and Nishika Fonseka appeared for the Petitioner. Mr. Sanjay Rajaratnam, President’s Counsel, with Edward Jayasinghe appeared for the Automobile Association of Ceylon. Ms. Avanthi Weerakoon, State Counsel, appeared on behalf of the State Respondents, including the Commissioner General of Motor Traffic and the Inspector General of Police.