Women – Out of the Frame

Women – Out of the Frame

Photographic exhibition on women

“Women - Out of The Frame” is a photographic project undertaken by the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka in conjunction with Sri Lankan photographer Menika van der Poorten with the objective of presenting  new perspectives on women in Sri Lanka. This project aims to stimulate and support Sri Lankan photographers to go beyond merely capturing an image and delve deeper into the stories and connotations that their photographs deliver. The exhibition seeks to present new conceptual, critical,and multi-dimensional perspectives in the visual portrayal of a woman and her world; images that go
beyond the traditional, objectified and stereotypical portrayal of women common in mainstream media.


Women – Out of the Frame will be more than a single photography exhibition and be presented alongside a series of presentations, group discussions which are carried out with the primary goal of supporting the education and uplifting the skills of photographers in the country. The project invites photographers’ across the island to submit photographs for selection towards this project, planned to be held between 4th and 10th July 2013 at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery. The deadline for submission is on the 24th of March 2013.

The final selection of images for the exhibition will be based on the entries that go beyond the stereotypes and depict imaginative, creative explorations of women, women’s experiences and other aspects concerning women. 

The exhibition is also an ideal platform for talented Sri Lankan photographers to showcase their work, be recognized for their innovative perspectives and most importantly change the way we see women in our country.  

Printing and framing of exhibition prints will be undertaken by the Curator and coordinator. The selected artists will feature in a full colour exhibition catalogue; have themselves and their work featured on a dedicated website of the exhibition; have the opportunity to participate in workshops accompanying the exhibition.  Exhibition and website will be also be extensively publicized. The exhibition & workshops are supported by The National Peace Council, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

The project has been conceived and organized by    photographer/educator/curator, Menika van der Poorten. Menika bagan her ‘photographic life’ as a commissioning and picture editor for ‘Format ‘Women’s Photographic Agency in London and later became a working director at ‘Monocrone’ a pioneering Photography project, in London, promoting photography to and by Women.
Menika received her photographic education at the John Cass School (now the London Metropolitan University), and University of Westminster, London. Menika is now based in Sri Lanka and works in arts management and the world of photography including photography education. She has worked with Vibhavi Academy of Fine Arts, Theertha Artists Collective, WOMAD festival of Drums in Sri Lanka, Galle Literary Festival, Galle Music Festival, National Art Gallery of the Maldives and on the recent British Library/British Council exhibition on Sri Lanka.

Menika has exhibited widely both nationally and internationally. Her most recent works have involved a web project on The Sri Lankan Eurasian community; she was one of the exhibiting artists at the 2012 Colombo Art Biennale.  In 2009 Menika was awarded the Bunka Award for special achievement in Photography and in October 2012 she was selected for an Artists Residency funded by ‘Creative Scotland‘ at Cove Park Trust in Scotland.

The Jaffna Music Festival 2013

The Jaffna Music Festival 2013

1st & 2nd March 2013

The Jaffna Music Festival 2013 will be held in the Jaffna Municipal Grounds on Friday the 1st & Saturday the 2nd March 2013 offering an amazing opportunity to experience a gathering of both Sri Lankan and International folk, classical and contemporary music groups. Entrance is free to all events. 

There will be simultaneous performances on four individual stages dedicated to Folk, Classical, Contemporary and Children’s musical routines from 09.00am –12.00pm on Friday and Saturday. The morning programme will allow festivalgoers to have a personally engaging experience through interactive performances. On both days this will be followed by a main stage performance from 5.00pm daily with the following line up

The Jaffna Music Festival 2013 day 01

The Jaffna Music Festival 2013 day 02

The Sri Lankan Folk Performers, rarely seen outside their communities will include: Maarai Kaatha Maveerar a Catholic Koothu from Pasiyoor, Jaffna which has a history dating back 200 years. It depicts the story of Joseph Vaz the Catholic missionary who travelled from Goa to Sri Lanka; Pakeer Baith is a traditional performance of Muslims in Ampara based on the sequences of a traditional wedding; Paparavahan Koothu from Chulipuram, Jaffna; Parai Mela Koothu– are Parai drum artists from Kanakarayankulam and Mulliyawalai in Mullaitivu who have performed this Koothu (which is unique to Vanni) from generation to generation.They perform for both religious and social occasions; Ritual Songs of Batticaloa are sung by the students from Swami Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies, Eastern University, Sri Lanka. It is believed that some deities can possess humans and these ritual songs praise those deities; Vezhalam Padutha Veerangani is a popular Koothu existing in the Vanni which depicts the tragic story of a heroic lady who tamed a ferocious elephant and how jealous parties in the village put her to death which led to her husband taking his own life in order to spend eternity with his wife and Sanni Yakuma – (Benthara) is a dance group that perform exorcist healing rituals with a history reaching far back into Sri Lanka’s pre-Buddhist past. Most Sri Lankans rarely have a chance to witness this extremely colourful and vibrant ceremony, due to the exorbitant costs and duration of the performance, traditionally lasting up to 12 hours.

The Classical Musical Groups performing will be the Colombo Brass Ensemble which is a group of musicians who are dedicated to promoting Brass Music in the island; Natharanjanee is a well-known group of classical Carnatic vocalists in Jaffna; Mangala Isai - Nathaswaram, Thavil which is a group of popular Nathaswaram and Thavil artists from Jaffna; Oriental Music Orchestra is Sri Lanka's first multi-ethnic oriental music orchestra, showcasing the diverse ethnic and regional musical traditions that exist in the country; Phoolan Devi Opera is an opera performed by the Khemadasa Foundation which was set up to foster the musical talents of low-income youth from all over the country. The opera was composed by Gayathri Khemadasa the daughter of the late composer Premasiri Khemadasa. Traditions Meet is a Classical Instrumental Recital blending North Indian classical music with South Indian Carnatic music performed by veteran Hindustani and Carnatic musicians.

The Contemporary Groups will be Naadro a percussion band who uses both Sri Lankan traditional instruments and other percussion instruments to produce their own signature style; the Ranwala Brigade who are a Sri Lankan Folk Fusion band started by the late Lionel Ranwala, archivist and developer of traditional Sri Lankan music; the Ravibandu Vidyapathi Drum Ensemble is widely regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s finest drum ensembles and is lead by acclaimed Sri Lankan drummer, dancer and choreographer Ravibandu Vidyapathi; Sapthami a popular Jaffna band which plays a wide genre of music such as, melody music, Carnatic music and Hindu and Christian devotional songs and The Musicmatters Collective which is an ensemble dedicated to the exploration of creative musicmaking. This particular project sees the collective presenting music inspired by the improvisational tradition of jazz based on melodies from Sri Lankan folk music.

International Groups

Chirkutt from Bangladesh became popular in the Bangladeshi scene with the release of their debut full-length album "Chirkuttnama" (2010). Their powerful lyrics, energetic and unique compositions, varied use of eastern and western instruments and musical scales, elements of fusion and folk music offer a very distinct local sound. Nirtya Nandan will be a mother-daughter duo performing several accompanying dance items.

Harmonia Do Brasil from Brazil are the sweet voiced Nanda Garcia, the singer, plus the trio Alessandro Cardozo, playing the small guitar (a Brazilian instrument known as ‘cavaquinho’), Charles da Costa with the acoustic guitar, and Netinho in charge of percussion. The trio has been playing together for the past 14 years throughout the main cities in Brazil. They have participated on several music festivals all over the country and they have also recorded "Brasileirinho", a CD and DVD launched in 2005 that participated on Cannes Film Festival. For the Jaffna Music Festival, Harmonia Do Brasil will play a miscellaneous collection of Brazilian music: samba, bossa nova and choro, among other rhythms.

Casa Murilo from Norway began with two Englishmen who met two Norwegian girls in Brazil. They met a great man called Murilo. When the two Englishmen later left Brazil for Norway, they named their band after him as a dedication. They are well known on the Oslo underground for their wild, energetic live shows. They released their second album “The Rise And Fall” in 2012.
In Jaffna, you will meet the two founders of the band, Chris Winfield and Dan Hesketh who will also perform at the main stage with the Bangladeshi band Chirkutt, whom they met during the 2012 Casa Murilo Asia Tour. The two bands quickly became musical friends and gave a large joint outdoor concert in Dhaka. In Jaffna, to everyone’s delight, they will meet again. What do you get when you mix an indie-rock band from Norway and a folk fusion band from Bangladesh? A very good time!

Ila Arun Troupe from India is a led by a leading folk and Bollywood singer who has been working with Rajasthani folk artists for the last 30 years and has brought folk music and folk dance of Rajasthan into the mainstream of the Indian Music Scene and made it popular all around the world. The group consists of folk singers folk dancers and musicians playing rare folk instruments. 

Sabreen Association from Palestine focus on live and public performances, networking with musicians, public productions and music in schools in the Palestinian territories including Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. The musicians performing will be Charlie Rishmawi a multi-instrumentalist who enjoys many musical genres; John Robert Handal who is a percussionist; Joseph Duqmaq who is an accomplished saxophonist/pianist and Mohammad Abu Hamdah who specializes in Folklore Dabkeh and contemporary dance. 

Hat-trick and Fiddle from Norway are Ulf-Arne Johannessen and Erlend Viken, two up-and-coming performers offering a small taste of the Norwegian folk tradition. They will demonstrate Halling, a highly competitive music and dance tradition, where men are like roosters trying to impress women with their skills. They will also be performing with Nritya Nandan, Bangladesh and Aru Sri Art Theatre, Sri Lanka. 

Nritya Nandan from Bangladesh, is a vibrant dance duo who are versatile dancers in Maipuri, Bharatha Natyam and Oddissi, They are also popular Bengali Folk dancers who depict the lively, colourful, and rhythmic local folk culture. They will combine together with Hat-Trick and Fiddle, Norway and Aru Sri Art Theatre, Sri Lanka. 

Aru Sri Art Theatre from Sri Lanka will feature a selection of classical Barathanatyam and Kandyan dancers who are also engaged in Folk and Contemporary dance. They, together with a selection of eminent classical musicians, are to collaborate culture and skill in the dance programme between Hat- Trick and Fiddle, Norway and Nritya Nandan,Bangladesh. 

The Jaffna Music Festival 2013 is brought to you by Sewalanka in collaboration with Rikskonsertene (Concerts Norway) and Aru Sri Art Theatre and is funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This time around the festival will be conducted in co-partnership with the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and the Municipal Council of Jaffna. The exclusive electronic media partners for this event are Shakthi TV and Sirasa TV.

The Jaffna Music Festival

Galle Music festival BnS crowd raisers

1st & 2nd March 2013

The Jaffna Music Festival returns to Jaffna Municipal grounds in March 2013. This time around the festival will host aneclectic array of music – including folk, contemporary and classical to name a few. This is a sister event of the GalleMusic Festival, which attracted an audience of over 22,000 people over two days in 2012.The Jaffna festival promises tobe as exhilarating as the Galle festival bringing together an exciting line up of musicians, dancers, performers and ritualists.On the 1st and 2nd March 2013, the Jaffna Municipal Grounds will be bursting with a combination of vibrant music, colour and culture. 



The festival itself will be a celebration of the unique and fascinating history, heritage, diversity and talent
that Sri Lanka has to offer. Joining the exciting line up of local artists will be a line-up of International performers.

The local and International artists will lead simultaneous performances on Friday and Saturday from 09.00am –12.00noon followed by a main stage performance from 05.00pm – 10.30pm daily.

The morning programme will showcase simultaneous performances on four individual stages dedicated to Folk,Classical, Contemporary and Children’s items. These stages will provide a unique and informal setting by which festival goers will be encouraged to have a personally engaging experience with performances. There will be opportunities for audiences to gather information about the historical and musical significance of items and instruments and to join in on the festivities.

The morning programme will also feature music workshops primarily geared at further engaging and educating students from national universities. Festival goers who are keen on discussing and understanding the rich history and diversity behind particular performances and instruments are also welcomed and encouraged to engage in the workshops organized during the day.

The list of artists under the following categories are:

Folk:

Marai Kaatha Maaveerar - (Pasiyoor, Jaffna)
Pakkeer Baith – (Ampara)
Paparavahan Koothu – (Chulipuram, Jaffna)
Parai Mela Koothu - (Mulliyawalai & Kanakarayan Kulam, Mullaithivu)
Ritual Songs of Batticaloa- (Batticaloa)
Sanni Yakuma – (Benthara)
Vezhalam Padutha Veerankani – (Mulliyawalai, Mullaithivu)

Classical Groups

Colombo Brass Ensemble
Mangala Isai- Nathaswaram, Thavil
Natharanjanee (Carnatic vocal ensemble)
Oriental Music Orchestra
Phoolan Devi Opera (Gayathri Khemadasa opera project)
Traditions Meet (Sangeetha Sangamam) (Veteran Hindustani and Carnatic musicians combine)

Contemporary Groups

Naadro (Percussion)
Ranwala Brigade (Folk Fusion)
Ravibandu Vidyapathi Drum Ensemble
Sapthami
The Musicmatters Collective (Improvisational Jazz)

International Groups

Bangladesh
Brazil
India
Norway
Palestine

As a part of the pre-festival empowerment programme various village level-performances will take place in Muliyavali,Mullathivue and Pasiyoor, Jaffna on the 9th and 10th February 2013. These pre-festival performances will feature the recently revived Northern Folk groups and will serve as an opportunity for local groups to both showcase their unique heritage and revive community awareness and support for these near extinct folk forms.

As at the past festivals, the Jaffna Music Festival will serve as a much needed meeting place for local and internationalv artists and provide a forum where they can share, exchange, fuse and interact with other artists. Northern and Southern artists and audiences will have the opportunity to experience and interact with artists from the north, east, south and west and be introduced a diverse array of musical genres.

The aim of the Jaffna Music Festival is not only to showcase the diverse traditions and musical genres from around the island. It is also geared to specifically introduce these musical styling’s to school children and young people in order to further stimulate their awareness and interest in the performing arts. The festival also looks towards reviving Jaffna’s historical status as a hub of arts and culture. As a parallel part of this venture, the festival will also showcase an array of unique traditional local cuisines to provide a holistically authentic experience for audiences.

In collaboration with Rikskonsertene (Concerts Norway) and Aru Sri Art Theatre, Sewalanka Foundation presents the Jaffna Music Festival 2013. The Festival is funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This time around the festival will be conducted in co-partnership with the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and The Municipal Council of Jaffna. The exclusive electronic media partners for this event are Shakthi TV and Sirasa TV.

This event is a part of a larger nonprofit Music Cooperation Program that is established with the objective to stimulate the musical performing arts of Sri Lanka, by providing for exchange while preserving the traditional Sri Lankan musical expressions.

There will be no entrance fee for this event.

The Jaffna Music Festival-1st & 2nd March 2013

The Jaffna Music Festival 2013

Jaffna Music Fest 2013

The Jaffna Music Festival returns to Jaffna Municipal grounds in March 2013. This time around the festival will host an eclectic array of music – including folk, contemporary and classical to name a few.This is a sister event of the Galle Music Festival, which attracted an audience of over 22,000 people over two days in 2012. 

The Jaffna festival promises to be as exhilarating as the Galle festival bringing together an exciting line up of musicians, dancers, performers and ritualists. On the 1st and 2nd March 2013, the Jaffna Municipal Grounds will be bursting with a combination of vibrant music, colour and culture.

 


The festival itself will be a celebration of the unique and fascinating history, heritage, diversity and talent that Sri Lanka has to offer. Joining the exciting line up of local artists will be a line-up of International performers. The local and International artists will lead simultaneous performances on Friday and Saturday from 09.00am –12.00 noon followed by a main stage performance from 05.00pm – 10.30pm daily.

Galle Music Festival 2012

In order to further engage and educate festival-goers, the artists will have interactive daytime performances which will give audiences a chance to discuss and understand rich history and diversity behind the particular performances and instruments. 

As at the past festivals, the Jaffna Music Festival will serve as a much needed meeting place for local and international artists and provide a forum where they can share, exchange, fuse and interact with other artists. Northern and Southern artists and audiences will have the opportunity to experience and interact with artists from the north, east, south and west and be introduced a diverse array of musical genres. 

The aim of the Jaffna Music Festival is not only to showcase the diverse traditions and musical genres from around the island. It is also geared to specifically introduce these musical stylings to school children and young people in order to further stimulate their awareness and interest in the performing arts. The festival also looks towards reviving Jaffna's historical status as a hub of arts and culture. In collaboration with Rikskonsertene (Concerts Norway) and Aru Sri Art Theatre, Sewalanka Foundation presents the Jaffna Music Festival 2013.

Jaffna Music Festival 2011

The Festival is funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This time around the festival will be conducted in co-partnership with the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and its exclusive electronic media partners Shakthi and Sirasa TV. This event is a part of a larger nonprofit Music Cooperation Program that is established with the objective to stimulate the musical performing arts of Sri Lanka, by providing for exchange while preserving the traditional Sri Lankan musical expressions.

Watch Jaffna Music Festival 2011 on youtube

There will be no entrance fee for this event.

Jaffna International Trade Fair 2013 begins Jan.18

Jaffna International Trade Fair 2013 begins Jan.18

JITF 2013 

The biggest ever exhibition in Jaffna peninsula, the fourth Annual Jaffna International Trade Fair 2013(JITF) will start 18th after the end of the Thai Pongal Festival. 
The trade fair which will have both local and international stalls will cater to a diverse variety of needs and services and will be held at the Duraippah Stadium in Jaffan is expected to draw over 50,000 visitors is considered as the single most focal point for a wide spectrum of investors and citizens.

The fair which is partnered with the Ministry of Traditional Industries & Small Enterprise Development, Ministry of Industry & Commerce, Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL), Chamber of Commerce & Industries of Yarlpanam (CCIY), Consulate General of India in Jaffna, Jaffna Municipal Council and Sri Lanka Convention Bureau has grown hand in hand with the people of Jaffna during its four years.

Munjal Savla wins the Polo Race at the Colombo Night Races 2012

Munjal after winning the Polo Race

Munjal Savla steals the show in Volkswagen Race Polo at the Colombo Night Races 2012

Volkswagen Polo R CupIndia driver from Mumbai, Munjal Savla steals the show at the Colombo NightRaces 2012 (CNR) in a combination of high speed and excellent driving. Munjal, who was also the pole sitter, made no mistake and used his 3 years of Race Polo driving experience to the fullest. He was followed by the Polo R Cup India 2012, Pro-category champion from Chennai, A. Sandeep Kumar and 2012 JK Tyre National Karting Champion from Mumbai, Ameya Bafna. Early day break and time constraints resulted in few races being cancelled including Race 2 of Volkswagen Polo.

Munjal speeding past the super-charged crowd
 in Colombo Night Race 2012

Last night saw the Qualifying session being dominated by Munjal. Qualifying was restricted to 3 timed laps owing to time restrictions, forcing the drivers to adapt quickly and put in hot laps right from the start with no room for error. Munjal set the pace and set the fastest lap time of 2:05.71 minutes. Ameya was almost a second slower and joined Munjal on the front row at the 2nd position. Sandeep and Angad Singh Matharoo were at 3rd and 4th position respectively.

In the race, Munjal capitalized on his pole position and took a good lead. He pushed his Race Polo to the maximum, never having to look back. He led throughout the race to take an easy victory. Sandeep, starting from 3rd position on the grid, had a great start and made an early move in lap 1 to move up a position ahead of Ameya. Sandeep and Ameya had a good battle between them in the first few laps for the 2nd spot but later Sandeep managed to pull away from the young karting champion to finish 2nd on the podium while Ameya had to settle at the 3rd position.

Volkswagen Race Polo taking on the streets of
 Colombo during the race

Race winner Munjal was ecstatic on his incredible win. He said, “Winning here for second time in a row feels amazing. Winning the pole position by a second made me confident of winning the race. Though I started with a few mistakes in lap 1, I managed to keep my lead and made no further errors. My driving experience here last year really helped me to be at the top of my game. Street racing is absolutely fun and driving in front of a super-charged crowd is a hair-raising experience. I hope we get to do this more often.”

"The ColomboNight Race last year is a memorable experience and this year it was incredible with drivers enjoying this experience thoroughly! It requires special fitness on both physical and mental level to be driving under flood lights on a street circuit but the racers adapted quickly to the situation. Our drivers proved their mettle by bringing out excellent results here in Colombo and we are proud of them,” said Prithviraj Siddappa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India. He further added, “We are grateful to Carlton Motor Sports Club, Asian Motor Racing Club (AMRC) and Sri Lanka Motor Cycle Club (SLMCC) for the support and coordination. We look forward to continue this association in the years to come.”

Qualifying Grid:

1.     Car no: 78       Munjal Savla

2.     Car no: 80       Ameya Bafna

3.     Car no: 77       A. Sandeep Kumar

4.     Car no: 76       Angad Singh Matharoo

5.     Car no: 73       Romani De Silva

6.     Car no: 79       Saurav Bandyopadhay

7.     Car no: 71       Upulwan Serasinghe

8.     Car no: 72       Rohitha Rajapakshe

9.     Car no: 70       Sumanapala Mannapperuma

10.  Car no: 75       Niranjan Todkari

Results of the Race:

1.     Car no: 78       Munjal Savla (Mumbai)

2.     Car no: 77       Sandeep Kumar (Chennai)

3.     Car no: 80       Ameya Bafna (Mumbai)

4.     Car no: 73       Romani De Silva (Sri Lanka)

5.     Car no: 71       Upulwan Serasinghe (Sri Lanka)

6.     Car no: 72       Rohitha Rajapakshe (Sri Lanka)

7.     Car no: 75       Niranjan Todkari (Aurangabad)

8.     Car no: 70       Sumanapala Mannapperuma (Sri Lanka)

9.     Car no: 79       Saurav Bandyopadhay (Mumbai)

Did Not Finish

10.  Car no: 76       Angad Singh Matharoo (Chandigarh)

Motor sports enthusiasts interested in getting further information can log on to the website, www.polocup.in. This website displays information about Polo R Cup format, race updates and driver profiles. Follow Polo R Cup onwww.facebook.com/vwpolocupIndia.

  

About Volkswagen Motorsport

Volkswagen is committed to broad-scale motor sport as in internationally staged cross-country rally racing programmes in countries including Germany, Europe and the United States apart from other countries in Asia and has a long tradition of promoting young talent. Following the legendary Formula V as of 1966 the brand, in 1976, sponsored a one-make touring car cup for the first time. Among others, the Scirocco Cup produced drivers like the subsequent Formula 1 racer Manfred Winkelhock. In 1977 the first-generation Golf GTI replaced the Scirocco as the cup vehicle and remained the popular competition car for a generation of young racers up to 1982. In 1983, the second-generation Polo followed as the cup vehicle – initially using the 88-hp normally aspirated engine version and, from 1986, the 112-hp compressor engine. At the relaunch in 1998, Volkswagen presented the Lupo, which offered top-class sport at fair prices, as well as the Volkswagen New Beetle Cup.

The year of 1998 stands for an all-new concept in the world of racing. To this day, this new concept featuring centrally fielded vehicles and car swapping among the drivers guarantees maximum equality of opportunity. In 2004 the 150-hp Polo replaced the small Lupo as the cup vehicle and the concept was subjected to further refinement. The Polo Cup’s success story is closely linked to the DTM-Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft. The premier league of touring car racing has evolved into a real crowd-puller and is envisaged as a concrete career goal by many junior racers.

The commitment encompasses the internationally renowned Dakar Rally. Diesel and bio natural gas powered as eco-conscious alternatives to conventional spark ignition engines and clever down­­sizing are the core elements of this strategy. Volkswagen is already in the process of putting the aims of eco-conscious motorsport of the future into action. Bio natural gas engines in the Scirocco R-Cup and at the Nürburgring 24 Hours have already proved that eco-consciousness and top-calibre racing. Volkswagen consistently banks on production-based technology and the conservation of resources. In an overall assessment of racing operations and logistics for the Scirocco R-Cup Volkswagen has achieved a reduction of CO₂ emissions by 80 per cent.

The Colombo Night Races(CNR) second edition starts tonight

The Colombo Night Races(CNR) second edition 2012

7 Car events and 4 Motor Cycle events scheduled

The Colombo Night Races(CNR) second edition will be flagged off today under an initiative by Carlton Motor Sports Club, Asian Motor Racing Club (AMRC), and Sri Lanka Motor Cycle Club (SLMCC).

According to the organizers seven Car events and four Motor Cycle events are scheduled to be run on this day. The seven car events are conducted by AMRC while the Motor Cycle events are conducted by SLMCC.

The races will see both cars and motorbikes line up in different categories on a circuit that is drawn out from streets in the Galle Face Green and Fort in downtown Colombo.

The qualifying sessions for the race to determine the drivers starting grid position will take place today (14) and the final events will race Saturday night. Sri Lankan drivers along with a number of international teams will take part in the races. Over 7,500 visitors are expected to participate in the event.

Volkswagen Race Polo returns to Colombo Night Races 2012

Volkswagen Race Polo returns to
 Colombo Night Races 2012

Volkswagen Race Polo returns

Volkswagen Motorsport India will once again burn rubber on the streets of Colombo, Sri Lanka in the Colombo Night Races 2012 (CNR 2012). The 2^nd edition of the Colombo Night Races will be held in Colombo Fort areas on December 14 and 15. Six Polo R Cup India drivers will compete in this special race weekend along with four Sri Lankan drivers to complete the grid of 10 drivers.

Volkswagen Polo R Cup 2012 Pro Category Champion Sandeep Kumar, along with Munjal Savla, Saurav Bandyopadhay, Angad Singh Matharoo, Niranjan Todkari and 2012 JK Tyre National Karting Champion, Ameya Bafna would be the Indian drivers in Sri Lanka. The Volkswagen Polo Race will be a part of the race weekend which includes eight different categories of races.

The other races will see both cars and motorbikes line up in different categories on a 4 km circuit that is drawn out from the Colombo streets.The practice sessions along with a qualifying session will be held on Friday while the two races will take place on Saturday under the flood lights.

After yet another successful Volkswagen Polo R Cup season, Mr. Prithviraj Siddappa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India, was excited about returning to the streets of Colombo. He said, “After the success of last year's Colombo Night Races, it is exciting for us to return to this mega event. We will be racing the Polo TDI race cars this year as well. This race signifies the popularity of Polo R Cup not only in India but beyond as well.”

The Polo R Cup India drivers participating in the race are:

1.   Sandeep Kumar

2.   Munjal Savla

3.   Saurav Bandyopadhay

4.   Angad Singh Matharoo

5.   Niranjan Todkari

6.   Ameya Bafna

The SriLankan drivers participating in the race are:

1.   Rohitha Rajapakshe

2.   Romani De Silva

3.   Upulwan

4.   Mannaperuma

The unique street circuit sets off opposite Galadari Hotel on Lotus Road and run towards Fort and will take a left turn towards Chatham Street. The drivers will take a right turn to Duke Street which runs towards Main Street opposite Gaffoor Building. Then they will turn left on Sir Baron Jayathilaka Mawatha and run past the Cargills Building on York Street. The route will then take a right turn to Bank of Ceylon Mawatha and towards Ceylon Continental Hotel and turn left towards the roundabout opposite Galadari Hotel where the lap will be completed.

Motor sports enthusiasts interested in getting further information can log on to the website, www.polocup.in. This website displays information about Polo R Cup format, race updates and driver profiles. Follow Polo R Cup on www.facebook.com/vwpolocupIndia.

About Volkswagen Motorsport

Volkswagen is committed to broad-scale motor sport as in internationally staged cross-country rally racing programmes in countries including Germany, Europe and the United States apart from other countries in Asia and has a long tradition of promoting young talent. Following the legendary Formula V as of 1966 the brand, in 1976, sponsored a one-make touring car cup for the first time. Among others, the Scirocco Cup produced drivers like the subsequent Formula 1 racer Manfred Winkelhock. In 1977 the first-generation Golf GTI replaced the Scirocco as the cup vehicle and remained the popular competition car for a generation of young racers up to 1982. In 1983, the second-generation Polo followed as the cup vehicle – initially using the 88-hp normally aspirated engine version and, from 1986, the 112-hp compressor engine. At the relaunch in 1998, Volkswagen presented the Lupo, which offered top-class sport at fair prices, as well as the Volkswagen New Beetle Cup.

The year of 1998 stands for an all-new concept in the world of racing. To this day, this new concept featuring centrally fielded vehicles and car swapping among the drivers guarantees maximum equality of opportunity. In 2004 the 150-hp Polo replaced the small Lupo as the cup vehicle and the concept was subjected to further refinement. The Polo Cup’s success story is closely linked to the DTM-Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft. The premier league of touring car racing has evolved into a real crowd-puller and is envisaged as a concrete career goal by many junior racers.

The commitment encompasses the internationally renowned Dakar Rally. Diesel and bio natural gas powered as eco-conscious alternatives to conventional spark ignition engines and clever down­­sizing are the core elements of this strategy. Volkswagen is already in the process of putting the aims of eco-conscious motorsport of the future into action. Bio natural gas engines in the Scirocco R-Cup and at the Nürburgring 24 Hours have already proved that eco-consciousness and top-calibre racing. Volkswagen consistently banks on production-based technology and the conservation of resources. In an overall assessment of racing operations and logistics for the Scirocco R-Cup Volkswagen has achieved a reduction of CO₂emissions by 80 per cent.