Colombo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a “fruitful" meeting with leaders of the Indian-Origin Tamil (IOT) community during his recent two-day trip to Sri Lanka. He offered support for the construction of 10,000 houses for Indian-origin Tamils along with healthcare facilities and other projects.
In a post on X, PM Modi described the Indian-origin Tamils as a “living bridge" between the two countries for more than two centuries. “India will support the construction of 10,000 houses, healthcare facilities, the sacred site Seetha Eliya temple and other community development projects for IOTs in cooperation with the Government of Sri Lanka," he added.
Expressing joy after the meeting, PM Modi wrote, "Meeting with the leaders of Sri Lanka's Tamil community is always a matter of joy. I personally expressed my sorrow over the passing of two respected Tamil leaders I knew, R Sambanthan and Mavai Senathirajah".
"I emphasized an unwavering commitment to a life of equality, dignity, and justice for the Tamil community within a united Sri Lanka," he added.
The first group of IOTs, also known as Malayaga Tamilar, arrived in Sri Lanka in 1823 as laborers to work in coffee and then tea, rubber, and cocoa plantations in the hilly regions of Sri Lanka. Later in the 1900s, substantial numbers of Tamils from India also came to settle in Ceylon as financial entrepreneurs and grocers.
