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In just two years, ITC Ratnadipa has carved a distinguished place in Colombo, blending Indian warmth and Sri Lankan hospitality under a dynamic and capable leadership of its General Manager Keenan McKenzie celebrating its second anniversary in Colombo. ITC Ratnadipa stands today as a symbol of grace, resilience and excellence Guided by the strong leadership of the General Manager and its team and with an unwavering commitment to service, this luxury property has become one of the most talked about hospitality destination.
(Q) Two years in, how would you define the journey of ITC Ratnadipa in Sri Lanka?
(A) Over the past two years, we have focused on creating experiences that genuinely celebrate Sri Lankan art, cuisine, culture, and heritage, while ensuring that every guest who walks through our doors experiences the warmth and character of the island. Through cultural events, culinary experiences, and partnerships with Sri Lankan artists and communities, we have focused on creating experiences that celebrate and support local talent, traditions, and heritage.
From a business perspective, the journey has also been one of continuous evolution. Guest expectations today are constantly changing, and we have remained agile in adapting our offerings and personalising experiences to meet those expectations. That approach has enabled us to build strong guest relationships and achieve steady growth over the past two years.
What has been particularly rewarding is how quickly ITC Ratnadipa has connected with the people of Colombo and the wider community. We have established a strong presence in Colombo, in a relatively short period of time, to the extent that our twin pillars have become part of the city’s identity.
(Q) What was the biggest challenge in establishing brand loyalty, and how did you overcome it?
General Manager led the celebrations with pride
(A) One of the biggest challenges was entering a market where several established hotels have built relationships and loyalty with Sri Lankan guests over many decades. However, we approached that challenge very positively. Rather than seeing it as a limitation, we saw it as an opportunity to better understand Colombo and adapt ourselves to the market in a meaningful and authentic way. Our focus was on creating experiences that genuinely connected with the people of Sri Lanka through our dining concepts, cultural experiences, personalised service, and community engagement.
(Q) ITC Hotels is known for its sustainable ethos. How has that philosophy been adapted to Sri Lanka?
(A) Sri Lanka is moving steadily towards a more sustainable future, and there is a growing national focus on responsible practices, environmental awareness, and long-term sustainability across industries. At ITC Ratnadipa, we have been very conscious about supporting and aligning ourselves with that vision through the way we operate and engage with our teams and guests.
From internationally recognised standards, such as our LEED certification, to initiatives such as ŚūnyaAqua, the “zero-mile” water initiative, sustainability has been integrated into many aspects of our daily operations. At the same time, we believe this journey goes beyond infrastructure and systems. It is also about education, awareness, and creating behavioural change.
(Q) What distinguishes ITC Ratnadipa from other luxury properties in Colombo?
(A) Responsible Luxury distinguishes us. From the way the hotel was conceptualised and built to the experiences we offer today, our focus has always been on creating luxury that is thoughtful, sustainable, and meaningful. Responsible Luxury is not just one aspect of the hotel, it is the foundation upon which every experience is built.
While some properties position themselves primarily as business hotels, leisure destinations, or entertainment hubs, we have consciously created a hotel that brings together all of these elements. Whether through our accommodation, dining experiences, wellness offerings, or personalised service, every aspect of the hotel is designed to deliver a refined luxury experience.
(Q) ITC Ratnadipa is known for culinary excellence. How has the food and beverage scene evolved at the property?
(A) The food and beverage journey at ITC Ratnadipa has evolved very organically over the past two years, with a strong focus on understanding the local market while still delivering distinctive culinary experiences. Our signature restaurants, such as Peshawri, Islander, and the Oyster Bar, have each created their own identity within the city’s dining scene, with Islander, in particular, resonating strongly through its focus on fresh local seafood and coastal flavours.
At the same time, we have been very conscious about adapting to the preferences of the Sri Lankan market. For example, with the strong local appreciation for Chinese cuisine, restaurants, such as Yi Jing, have resonated very well with guests. We have also expanded our offerings beyond dining by introducing more curated evening experiences and entertainment.
(Q) How do you see Sri Lanka positioning itself in the global luxury tourism market today?
(A) Sri Lanka has a very strong opportunity to position itself as a leading luxury tourism destination because the country already has so much to offer naturally and culturally. From its beaches and wildlife to its heritage, cuisine, and even industries, such as gem artistry, Sri Lanka has experiences that are truly unique to the island.
At ITC Ratnadipa, we believe luxury should also feel connected to the destination itself. Our focus has been on giving guests an authentic Sri Lankan experience, not only by encouraging them to explore the country, but also by bringing elements of Sri Lanka into the hotel, through food, culture, art, and hospitality.
I believe that if the industry, collectively, continues to showcase the true identity of Sri Lanka to the world, the country can further establish itself as a top luxury destination globally. Sri Lanka is genuinely a gem of an island, and that authenticity is its greatest strength.
(Q) What is your vision for ITC Ratnadipa over the next five years?
(A) Over the next five years, my vision for ITC Ratnadipa is for it to become a true pillar of luxury hospitality in Sri Lanka, where luxury remains our foundation, and where the hotel is equally recognised for celebrating Sri Lankan cuisine, culture, art, heritage, fashion and entertainment.
We want to continue creating curated and authentic experiences for the global traveller while strengthening our identity as a hotel that truly reflects the spirit and culture of Sri Lanka. Whether through our culinary experiences, cultural collaborations, artistic showcases, or entertainment offerings, the aim is for guests to experience Sri Lanka not only outside, but within the property itself.
(Q) Two years in, what is the one promise you made at the launch that you feel is still yet to be fully delivered?
(A) When we launched ITC Ratnadipa, we introduced ourselves as the “Jewel in the Colombo Skyline,” and I believe today we have truly established that presence within the city. In just two years, we have established ourselves so strongly, within the city, that today, Colombo’s skyline cannot be imagined without our twin pillars, and that in itself has been a remarkable achievement for us.
At the same time, I would still say that this journey is only the beginning. Two years is still a relatively short period in hospitality, and we continue to focus on becoming more deeply connected with the community and creating experiences that resonate with both local and international guests. We have adapted, evolved, and established a strong foundation, but there is still much more we want to achieve as we continue growing alongside Colombo and Sri Lanka.
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Long before wildlife videos became a staple of social media, a young zoology student at the University of Peradeniya was invited to help bring Sri Lanka’s natural world into the homes of children across the country.
The invitation came from a scientist he had never met in a classroom. It would introduce him to an audience far beyond the university and leave him with memories that endure decades later.
The scientist was Professor Nimal Gunatilleke, one of Sri Lanka’s leading ecologists. His invitation was simple: he was planning a children’s television series about the country’s plants, animals and ecosystems. Would the student like to present it alongside him?
The student was Dr Ruchira Somaweera. Today, he is an internationally recognised herpetologist and evolutionary biologist whose research has taken him from Sri Lanka’s forests to the crocodile habitats of Australia, the waters of the Indian Ocean and the islands of Southeast Asia.
He has published scientific papers and books, contributed to international conservation initiatives and worked to make wildlife science accessible to a wider public.
But before the international research, the scientific publications and the global collaborations, there was Thuru Mithuro.
“I was a zoology student at Peradeniya, and Professor Nimal Gunatilleke had never taught me. I had not even met him in a classroom. Then, one day, he came to my practical examination and started talking to me,” Somaweera recalls.
What followed was an invitation that would have been difficult for any young student to forget.
For Somaweera, the significance lay not merely in the prospect of appearing on television but in the fact that a scientist of Gunatilleke’s standing had approached him personally.
“When someone of Professor Gunatilleke’s stature approaches you and invites you to be part of something like that, you feel an enormous sense of happiness and pride. But it is a humble kind of pride, because you realise that someone has recognised your potential and is willing to give you an opportunity,” he says.
The programme took the pair into several of Sri Lanka’s ecosystems. Gunatilleke explained the plants; Somaweera introduced the animals. Their subjects were not confined to textbook illustrations or laboratory specimens. The natural environment itself became their studio.
It was science education with the walls removed.
A television programme with a larger purpose
In those days, before YouTube and Facebook transformed the distribution of wildlife content, television occupied a different place in public life. A well-produced educational programme could introduce an entire generation to subjects that might otherwise remain distant from everyday experience.
Thuru Mithuro, broadcast by Sri Lanka’s National Television, offered precisely that possibility. Children could encounter the natural world through the observations of people who understood it, while the landscapes themselves provided the context.
A plant was no longer simply a specimen to be memorised. It belonged to a habitat, interacted with other organisms and helped sustain an ecological community. An animal was not merely a name in a zoology textbook but a living creature whose survival depended on food, shelter, water and the condition of its surroundings.
For a young zoologist, explaining these relationships was an opportunity to translate academic knowledge into something accessible.
“We filmed in several ecosystems across Sri Lanka. Professor Gunatilleke spoke about the plants, while I talked about the animals. It was a beautiful experience because we were not simply discussing nature; we were taking the audience into the natural world itself,” Somaweera recalls.
There is an important distinction between showing people wildlife and helping them understand it.
A close-up of a snake may inspire fascination or fear. An explanation of its behaviour, habitat and ecological role can replace some of that fear with knowledge. A shot of a forest may be visually impressive; an explanation of the relationships between its plants, insects, birds and mammals reveals why its survival matters.
This is the work of science communication, a discipline that can be as important to conservation as the research itself.
Sri Lanka has no shortage of natural wonders or scientists capable of explaining them. Yet the distance between scientific knowledge and public understanding can remain considerable.
The question is whether broadcasters are prepared to invest in closing that gap.
From an undergraduate project to international science
Somaweera’s own career illustrates what can happen when curiosity about wildlife develops into a sustained scientific pursuit.
He graduated with first-class honours in zoology from the University of Peradeniya in 2006.
His undergraduate research examined communal egg-laying by the endemic Kandyan day-gecko (Cnemaspis kandiana) in rock caves at Gannoruwa Forest Reserve.
The subject was a small lizard, but the questions it raised were much larger: how do animals reproduce, what environmental conditions shape their behaviour, and how can researchers understand the biological processes that allow species to survive?
He subsequently pursued doctoral research at the University of Sydney, completing his PhD in 2012. His research examined the ecology and conservation of Australian freshwater crocodiles at Lake Argyle, in Western Australia.
Later, as a postdoctoral researcher at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia’s national science agency, he investigated the effects of weeds on freshwater crocodiles and the ecosystems along riverbanks.
His research career has since encompassed a broad range of questions concerning reptile ecology, adaptation and conservation in changing environments.
Professional profiles identify him as an ecology leader and senior scientist, an adjunct associate professor at Murdoch University and a National Geographic Explorer.
His work has involved research and environmental projects across Australia, Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific.
These are not simply different geographical settings for the same research. Each presents distinct ecological conditions, conservation pressures and relationships between people and wildlife.
Understanding those differences requires more than recording the presence of a species. Scientists must investigate how animals use their habitats, what threatens their populations and how environmental change affects their ability to survive.
For Somaweera, reptiles provide a particularly revealing lens through which to examine those questions.
The misunderstood lives of reptiles
Snakes, crocodiles and lizards occupy an uneasy place in the human imagination. Some inspire fascination; others provoke fear. Crocodiles are associated with danger, while snakes are often treated as creatures whose only significance lies in their potential to bite.
Scientific research tells a more complicated story.
Reptiles have evolved a remarkable range of adaptations to different environments. Their behaviour, reproduction and survival strategies can reveal much about the pressures operating within ecosystems.
Somaweera’s research has examined freshwater crocodiles, sea snakes, marine turtles and other reptiles, including how they respond to habitat modification, invasive species and environmental change.
His work on crocodiles has explored aspects of their ecology and conservation, while his research on sea snakes has contributed to investigations into population decline and the factors that may drive local disappearances.
Such studies are important because changes in wildlife populations do not always have a single cause. Habitat alteration, introduced predators, environmental conditions and human activities may interact in ways that are difficult to understand without long-term observations and carefully designed research.
The implications extend beyond reptiles.
A decline in one species can signal a wider disturbance in its environment.
Understanding the mechanisms behind that decline may help scientists identify threats to other animals sharing the same habitat.
This is why detailed ecological research matters even when its immediate subject is an animal that many people rarely see.
The challenge is to ensure that the resulting knowledge reaches the people who can use it.
Bringing Sri Lankan reptiles into focus
Somaweera has also contributed to the documentation and communication of Sri Lanka’s reptile diversity.
His books include Snakes of Sri Lanka and Lizards of Sri Lanka: A Colour Guide with Field Keys. These works provide resources for identifying species and understanding the country’s reptile fauna.
Field guides occupy an important position between specialist research and public education. They help students, naturalists and researchers distinguish species, record observations and recognise the importance of accurate identification.
In the case of snakes, reliable information can also have direct public-health implications. Misidentification can influence how people respond to encounters and how clinicians assess suspected snakebites.
Somaweera has contributed to research addressing the identification of medically important snakes in Sri Lanka, illustrating how zoological expertise can intersect with human health.
His scientific interests extend beyond the island. His publications and research collaborations encompass reptiles in Australia and other parts of Asia, including crocodiles, sea snakes and the reptiles of island ecosystems.
He has also authored books for younger audiences, including The Ultimate Book of Reptiles, published by National Geographic Kids and Disney Books.
His contribution is therefore not limited to adding scientific papers to the literature. It includes creating resources through which people can discover, identify and better understand animals that are frequently overlooked or misunderstood.
The distinction matters. A species that is poorly understood is harder to protect, particularly when public attitudes are shaped more by fear or folklore than by evidence.
Modern conservation increasingly demands that scientific findings inform decisions made outside universities.
Governments need evidence when designing conservation policies. Developers need to understand the ecological consequences of proposed projects. Communities need reliable information when wildlife shares their surroundings.
Conservation organisations need to know which interventions are likely to work.
Somaweera’s professional work brings research into this practical arena.
His experience in ecological consultancy has involved projects for government agencies, industry, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders. The emphasis is on understanding how species and their habitats respond to environmental change, then applying that knowledge to management and conservation.
This approach is particularly relevant in landscapes where economic development and biodiversity protection must be considered together.
A river, for example, is not simply a channel carrying water. It is also a habitat, a breeding environment and a corridor connecting ecological communities. Altering its banks or vegetation can affect wildlife in ways that may not be immediately apparent.
Likewise, the introduction of a non-native species can have consequences that extend well beyond the organism itself, changing relationships between predators, prey and competing species.
Research helps identify these connections. Good environmental management depends on acting on that knowledge.
Somaweera’s international experience also highlights the value of collaboration. Wildlife does not recognise national borders, and many conservation questions require researchers to combine field observations, ecological modelling, population studies and other scientific approaches.
His involvement in international specialist networks, including groups associated with the International Union for Conservation of Nature, places his expertise within wider efforts to assess and conserve reptile populations.
The value of such participation lies in the exchange of knowledge and the development of evidence-based approaches that can be adapted to different environments.
For Sri Lanka, maintaining strong links between local researchers and international scientific networks is particularly important. The country’s biodiversity is distinctive, but understanding and protecting it can benefit from research conducted elsewhere.
There is, however, another thread running through Somaweera’s career: the effort to communicate science beyond specialist audiences.
His early experience with Thuru Mithuro came at a time when television was among the principal ways of taking wildlife education into people’s homes.
The media environment has since changed almost beyond recognition. A wildlife researcher can now share observations, photographs and explanations with international audiences through digital platforms.
Somaweera’s RuGoesWild channel continues that educational tradition, using online media to make wildlife science more accessible.
The technology is different, but the underlying challenge is familiar.
Scientific findings can be complex. Their significance may not be immediately obvious to people who are unfamiliar with the subject. Communicating them effectively requires an understanding of both the science and the audience.
A compelling image may capture attention, but explanation gives it meaning. A photograph of a sea snake can introduce a discussion about marine ecology. An account of crocodile behaviour can lead to questions about habitat conservation.
A video of a reptile in an altered landscape can reveal the effects of human activity.
The best science communication does not simplify the natural world to the point of distortion. It makes complexity understandable without sacrificing accuracy.
That is especially important in conservation, where public debate can become emotional and where poorly understood wildlife may be treated as a threat rather than as part of a functioning ecosystem.
Somaweera’s career offers a useful example of how scientific research and public communication can complement one another.
The scientist studies the animal. The communicator explains why it matters. The conservation practitioner asks what the evidence means for its future.
What Sri Lankan television could learn
The experience of Thuru Mithuro raises a question that remains relevant for broadcasters in Sri Lanka: why should science and wildlife education occupy such a small place in television schedules when the country has so much to explain?
Environmental issues are frequently covered when a disaster occurs, an animal enters a settlement or a conservation controversy attracts public attention. These reports are important, but they cannot replace sustained education about the ecological processes behind the headlines.
A regular programme could take viewers into forests, wetlands, rivers and coastal environments. Scientists could explain what lives there, how those ecosystems function and what happens when they are damaged.
Children could learn to identify common species in their neighbourhoods. School groups could participate in field observations.
Researchers could discuss their discoveries in language that does not require an advanced scientific education.
Such programmes could also explore the relationship between biodiversity and everyday life: the importance of wetlands in managing water, the role of vegetation in supporting wildlife, the effects of pollution on aquatic ecosystems and the consequences of habitat fragmentation.
The aim would not be to turn every viewer into a biologist. It would be to give people enough understanding to ask better questions and make more informed decisions.
Television can help create that foundation, particularly when it combines scientific expertise with compelling storytelling.
Somaweera’s recollections of Thuru Mithuro suggest that the idea is not new. Sri Lanka has already experienced the possibilities of taking scientists into the field and bringing their knowledge to a wider audience.
The challenge is to renew that commitment for a generation growing up amid digital abundance but facing increasingly complex environmental problems.
For Somaweera, the memory of meeting Professor Gunatilleke remains significant because of the unexpected nature of the invitation.
He was an undergraduate student, not yet the internationally active scientist he would become. The professor did not approach him as an established researcher but as a young person who might have something to contribute.
That willingness to recognise potential is an important part of how scientific communities develop.
Research depends on training, opportunity and collaboration, but it also depends on people who encourage others to pursue questions and communicate what they discover.
The journey from Thuru Mithuro to international wildlife research is not simply a story of career progression. It is also a reminder that science has a public purpose.
Knowledge about the natural world matters most when it helps people understand their surroundings, recognise the consequences of environmental change and make decisions informed by evidence.
A television programme filmed in Sri Lanka’s ecosystems decades ago and a modern wildlife channel reaching viewers online may appear to belong to different eras. In purpose, however, they are closely related.
Both seek to bring people closer to animals and habitats they might otherwise overlook.
Sri Lanka has scientists capable of contributing to global research, a natural heritage worth protecting and generations of young people who could be inspired by learning about it. What is needed is a sustained effort to connect those resources through education, journalism and public engagement.
The invitation Professor Gunatilleke extended to a young zoology student was modest in its wording but lasting in its consequences.
It opened a door to television, offered an early lesson in communicating science and became part of the story of a researcher whose work now reaches well beyond the island.
The larger lesson is straightforward: protecting nature requires scientific knowledge, but it also requires people who can make that knowledge matter.
Sometimes, the process begins with a scientist, a student and a camera pointed towards the living world.
With an innate love for beautiful interiors, a flair for colours and an eye for finer details, Shamila Abusally has been fascinated by the art of creating beautiful surroundings.
Her passion for aesthetics, decorative pieces and all things elegant has now taken an exciting new direction with Glow and Bloom, her creative business venture featuring an enchanting collection of Unicorn candles. Combining her love for beautiful things, with the joy of gifting, Shamila is bringing a touch of colour, charm and individuality to birthdays to baby shows. For her it is all about turning simple movements into beautiful memories, one candle at a time, Glow and Bloom adding sparkle to special moments.
A gift is more than just a present. It is a way of expressing love, happiness and appreciations. This is the inspiration behind Shamila Abusally’s exciting new venture, Glow and Bloom, featuring a colourful and creative range of Unicorn Candles designed to make life’s special occasions even more memorable.
With an eye for creativity and a passion for beautiful things, Shamila is bringing a fresh dimension to the art of gifting.
Her collection of candles comes in different colours, styles and designs, offering something for birthdays, baby showers, anniversaries, and many other celebrations.
“I wanted to introduce something different to the gifting scene, something colourful, attractive and special. I believe that even a small gift can bring a big smile when it is chosen with love, says Shamila.
What makes Glow and Bloom candles interesting is the versatility of the collection.
Form vibrant colours for birthday celebrations to delicate designs for baby showers and elegant styles for anniversaries the candles offer a charming alternative to conventional gifts.
Every occasion has its own personality. A birthday is full of fun and excitement, a baby shower is all about happiness and new beginnings, while an anniversary celebrates love and togetherness. I want my candles to complement all these beautiful moments, she explains.
The Unicorn Candles are designed to appeal to those who appreciate attractive decorative and thoughtful gifts.
Their variety of colours and style allow customers to select something that reflects the occasion and the persons receiving it.
For Shamila, a teacher by profession in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, starting Glow and Bloom is about more than establishing a business. It is about transforming creativity into something meaningful and sharing that creativity with others.
“I love the idea of creating something that people can enjoy and give as a gift; there is so much happiness in knowing that something you have created becomes part of somebody’s else’s special celebrations”. She says, She also believes that presentation and individuality play an import role with gifting.
“I want people to have choices. Different colours, different styles and something suitable for different occasions. My aim is to make every gift feel like a little more personal and memorable.”
As Glow and Bloom candles begins to make its mark, Shamila hopes to build a brand associated with creativity, individuality and the happiness of giving. Her venture reflects the spirit of entrepreneurship, an idea of achieving it and taking the first steps towards making it a reality. Every new business is a journey. There is always something to lean, something to treasure and something new to create. I am excited about what lies ahead for Glow and Bloom ,” she adds.
With its colourful Unicorn Candles which focus on celebrations, Glow and Bloom brings a refreshing touch to the gifting world.
For Shamila Abusally the message is simple: life’s special moments deserve something special and sometimes all it takes is a little glow to make them unforgettable.
Hilton Colombo officially welcomed the festive season with the unveiling of its 2026 Christmas theme, “Home for a Magical Christmas.”
As the first hotel in Colombo to usher in the festive season, Hilton Colombo marked the occasion with festive performances, familiar Christmas traditions and the grand unveiling of its Christmas centrepiece, an intricate golden carousel, at the heart of its lobby.
Framed by elegant white-and-gold decorations and charming Nutcrackers, the carousel transforms the lobby into a haven designed to bring a sense of wonder to guests of all ages. Known for introducing a distinctive Christmas setting each year, Hilton Colombo continues that tradition with a celebration inspired by the warmth of coming home, shared moments and the magic of the season.
“Christmas at Hilton Colombo has always been about the memories people make together,” said Manesh Fernando, Area General Manager for Hilton Sri Lanka and General Manager of Hilton Colombo. “Every year, we look forward to creating something special for the families, friends and guests who celebrate with us. This year’s golden carousel is a joyful reminder of that tradition, and we hope it brings a little magic to everyone who walks through our doors.”
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