December 17

This is 17th of December. It is day 351 of the year. As of today, there are 14 days left until the end of the year. If you are curious about the historical footprint of Sri Lanka, let us delve into more On This Day events to uncover fascinating tidbits from the nation's history that covers for 365 days.

Today’s Highlight

• 1895 – Train services to Matara were officially launched.
• 1988 – The Sixteenth Amendment was made, making Sinhala and Tamil the official languages of administration and legislation.
• 1988 – The Fifteenth Amendment was passed, repealing Article 96A, eliminating zones, and reducing the cut-off point to 1/20th.
• 1999 – A Sri Lankan Air Force Mi-24 helicopter was shot down near Parantan, killing four crew members.
• 2016 – 11 people were killed and several others injured in a head-on collision between a van and a bus in Sangathani, near Chavakachcheri.

International observance

• International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers