The inauguration ceremony of the Mahapola Alumni “Adi Vidyarthi Web Portal” along with the awarding of Mahapola Scholarship Certificates for the 2023/2024 academic years was held today (12) at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, under the patronage of Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya.
The event was also attended by the inaugural trustee of the Lalith Athulathmudali Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund, Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe, alongside Members of Parliament, senior officials of the Ministry and its affiliated institutions, university Vice-Chancellors and academics, as well as 130 newly qualified Mahapola scholarship recipients.
Officials noted that while certificates were issued to a selected group at the ceremony, around 17,000 university students across the country are expected to benefit from Mahapola scholarships in the broader rollout.
The Mahapola scholarship allowance, a key support mechanism for students entering higher education after secondary education, has also been increased from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000 over the past one and a half years, with the revised amount to apply to future recipients as well. At present, the Mahapola Trust Fund provides approximately 19,500 scholarships annually.
A key feature of the event was the launch of the alumni web portal, aimed at unifying Mahapola alumni under a single platform. The initiative is expected to strengthen links between graduates and current students, facilitate access to training and employment opportunities, and enable knowledge-sharing between alumni and undergraduates. It will also allow broader participation of graduates in supporting the Mahapola scholarship system and related welfare activities.
The Trust Fund said the new alumni association will serve as a national platform connecting hundreds of thousands of Mahapola beneficiaries worldwide, with opportunities for associate membership extended even to non-scholarship university graduates in Sri Lanka.
The initiative is expected to support mentorship, improve access to career and training opportunities, strengthen engagement between local and overseas students, and enhance the long-term sustainability of the Mahapola Trust Fund.
Registration for the new alumni association has been made available via QR code and an online link.
