NEW DELHI: In a moment steeped in nostalgia and pride, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya will return to her alma mater, Hindu College, on Thursday during her first official visit to India. Amarasuriya, who studied Sociology at the college from 1991 to 1994, will revisit the very spaces that shaped her early academic life. The visit marks a historic first for Hindu College, never before has a serving prime minister returned as an alumna, especially as part of an inaugural diplomatic trip.
Terming it “a moment of immense pride”, Principal Anju Srivastava said: “People from ministerial levels, even foreign dignitaries, have visited our college before but this is the first time someone at a prime ministerial level is returning as an alumna. That too on her first visit to India. It’s a matter of great honour.”
A ‘homecoming ceremony’ has been planned by the college administration to celebrate the occasion. Amarasuriya will tour the campus, including a special stop at the Sociology department, and the hostel she lived in during her undergraduate years.
Amarasuriya also handles the education portfolio and is expected to receive briefings on the college’s new research-based and skill-oriented academic programmes—a fitting exchange for someone who has maintained strong academic roots even in public life. In a symbolic and deeply personal gesture, Amarasuriya has also given her consent for the college’s newly established Sociology Research Lab to be named in her honour.
The move has generated a wave of excitement among students and faculty. “The entire college is buzzing,” said Srivastava. “It’s not every day that one of our own returns as the head of a nation.” The event will include cultural performances, student interactions, and a segment celebrating Amarasuriya’s journey from Delhi University’s classrooms to the high political office in Colombo.
Amarasuriya’s return to Hindu College comes at a time of deepening India-Lanka ties, adding a personal dimension to the broader bilateral agenda. She will hold talks with S Jaishankar on Thursday.
