The 11th Siddhalepa Kekulu Punchi Siththaru Art Competition concluded on December 14, 2025, with a distinguished awards ceremony at the J.R. Jayewardene Centre. Organised by Hettigoda Industries (Pvt) Ltd, this longstanding initiative continues to provide a prominent platform for preschool and grade one children from every district in Sri Lanka to display their creative abilities.
This year’s competition encouraged young artists to depict the theme “My Family,” resulting in an impressive collection of over 73,000 entries. The overwhelming response is a testament to the program’s popularity and posed a considerable challenge for the judging panel, which included acclaimed artists Mrs. Kusum Mangalika and Mr. Bandula Harischandra. Together, they selected the top 100 entries from the vast pool of submissions.
The awards ceremony was a vibrant celebration of imagination and youthful talent. H.M. Dahami Vibhavi from Supipi Pre School in Matara was awarded first place. H.P. Nethum Nemsara of Star Kids Pre School in Colombo and Sanuli Thanya Liyanage from Lyceum International School in Gampaha secured the second and third places, respectively.
Winners received substantial cash prizes, with Rs. 50,000 awarded to the first-place winner, Rs. 30,000 for second place, and Rs. 20,000 for third place. Participants placing fourth to tenth each received Rs. 10,000, while those ranked from eleventh to one hundred received Rs. 5,000 each, ensuring a broad recognition of young talent.
Beyond the monetary rewards, all top 100 winners received a comprehensive package of gifts supporting both their education and daily needs. Each child was presented with a Hatton National Bank passbook containing an initial deposit to promote the habit of saving. Additional gifts included Kekulu school bags, Phoenix lunch boxes, Kekulu product parcels, and contributions from CBL Munchee and Lion Advertising.
All participants were presented with certificates of participation, and the top three received special medals to commemorate their achievements. This multifaceted approach to rewarding participants underscores the dedication of Siddhalepa and its partners to nurturing the holistic development of Sri Lanka’s youth.
“Our goal is to foster the natural creativity of our children while strengthening their connection to family values and our rich local heritage,” said Asoka Hettigoda, Chairman of the Hettigoda Group. “Through the Kekulu Punchi Siththaru program, we aim to provide a platform that balances artistic expression with the healthy development of the next generation. We are committed to nurturing these young talents, ensuring they grow into well-rounded individuals who will make meaningful contributions to the future of our country.”
The 11th edition of the competition was made possible with the support of several key partners. Fragrance Oils-Far East (Pvt) Ltd was the main sponsor, Neth FM served as the official radio partner, and Funday Times of Wijeya Newspaper Ltd was the official print media partner. Hatton National Bank continued its involvement as the official banking partner, alongside Phoenix Industries Ltd, Ceylon Biscuits (Pvt) Ltd, and Lion Advertising as official gift partners.
