At the special request of Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar, and with the full sponsorship of the Government of India—and under the guidance of the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources—a special 10-day capacity-building training program for representatives of Sri Lankan fisheries societies began yesterday (September 15, 2026) at the Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management (VAMNICOM) in Pune, Maharashtra, India.

The inaugural session of the program was held under the patronage of Dr. Suvakanta Mohanty, Director of VAMNICOM, with the participation of Training Program Coordinator Dr. Ravi Dharmarajan and numerous other officials. Through this training program, participants are set to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Indian cooperative movement and its practical operations, as well as the successful operational models of world-renowned entities such as the “Amul Cooperative Movement.”

Salt-water fishing communities representing the Matara, Kalutara, and Galle districts, as well as representatives from freshwater rural fisheries organizations in the Puttalam district, are participating in this training program. Additionally, the event was attended by a 20-member group that included Nadarajah Sivalingam (Additional Secretary – Development and Procurement, Ministry of Fisheries), L.G. Ajantha Kumara (General Secretary, National Fisheries Federation), three officials representing the Department of Fisheries, and Ms. Inoka Perera (Aquaculture Extension Officer for Puttalam District, representing the National Aquaculture Development Authority – NAQDA).