Tuesday Dec 30, 2025
Tuesday Dec 30, 2025
Tuesday, 30 December 2025 03:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Oxford University Society (OUS) in Sri Lanka, the official alumni network of the University of Oxford, recently hosted a literary evening featuring celebrated Sri Lankan author Ashok Ferrey at the British High Commissioner’s residence.
The event, held in collaboration with the British High Commission, was hosted by High Commissioner Andrew Patrick and organised with the support of OUS Committee Member Professor Neluka Silva (Wolfson College, 2005).
Ferrey, an alumnus of Christ Church, Oxford (1979), is widely known for his novels and essays that blend wit with sharp observations of Sri Lankan society. The evening offered guests an opportunity to engage with the author and enjoy conversation in the elegant setting of Westminster House.
The gathering held particular significance as it coincided with a milestone year for the University of Oxford, which marked its tenth consecutive year at the top of the Times Higher Education Global University Rankings.
Distinguished guests included Professor G.L. Peiris and Sunethra Bandaranaike, alongside members of the OUS Committee: President Umayanga Nanayakkara, Vice President Sanjaya Ariyawansa, Secretary Insaf Bakeer Markar, Treasurer Hiran Embuldeniya, and Immediate Past President Rishan de Silva. Adding an international dimension to the evening, St. Cross College, Oxford Emeritus Fellow Professor Richard Briant, joined the event while in Sri Lanka to conduct interviews for the Chevening Research, Science, and Innovation Leadership Fellowship (CRISP), a fully funded program that enables mid-career professionals from Sri Lanka to undertake a 12-week fellowship at the University of Oxford.
The Oxford University Society in Sri Lanka is a volunteer-led alumni organisation that plays an active role in public diplomacy, educational outreach, and people-to-people engagement between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. Run entirely by its members, the Society brings together Oxford graduates from across generations and disciplines to foster connection and community.
This year’s program has featured a full calendar of activities. The Society’s “Applying to Oxford” sessions provide guidance to Sri Lankan students aspiring to study at the university, while “New Admits” events welcome those who have secured places. The Society has also hosted a Charity Art Event, a first under its Impact Pillar and collaborated with fellow alumni networks, including a Boat Race watch party organised jointly with the Cambridge Society of Sri Lanka and a pub quiz held alongside the Ivy League Network.
Oxford University Society in Sri Lanka said literary evenings such as this one form part of the Society’s broader mission to widen access to intellectual exchange, global education, and the arts within Sri Lanka.
