An event was held at the Governor’s Secretariat on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, to honour the Northern Provincial artists who won awards in the prestigious ‘Shilpa Abhimani’ – Presidential Handicraft Award Competition. This competition, organized annually by the National Crafts Council under the Ministry of Industries, recognizes and celebrates the finest local handicraft talents across Sri Lanka.
The event, chaired by the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayagan, aimed to showcase and honour the exceptional skills of local artisans. A total of 119 works from the Northern Province were submitted to the national competition, with 29 of them earning awards. Notably, this year marked a significant achievement for the province, as it received its first-ever gold award. Of the two gold awards presented nationwide, one was awarded to an artist from Northern Province.
During the ceremony, the Governor commended the artists for their remarkable achievements and encouraged them to continue creating work that brings pride to the Northern Province. The Director, the Department of Industries, Mrs. S. Vanaja, was also present to witness the occasion.
