The Riaz Ismail Scholarship Fund (RISF) held its annual scholarship awarding ceremony at the Mandarina Colombo recently, awarding 27 deserving recipients with financial aid scholarships to enable them to continue their education. The event was held on the 80th birth anniversary of the late Riaz Ismail in whose tribute RISF was founded. RISF aims to continue his long-standing legacy of social work.
The event, which also celebrated the life and legacy of Riaz Ismail, was graced by His Holiness Syed Mohamed Aslam Jiffry Ibnu Syed Abdur Rahman Jiffry Mowlana and Former Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Cooperatives Dr. R.M.K. Ratnayake, as Chief Guest and Guest of Honour.
The keynote address was delivered by former DGM of the Bank of Ceylon M.S.M. Liyawdeen while Chief Priest of the Galle Fort Sri Sudharmalaya Temple Ven. Hemaloka Thera also addressed the gathering. GMCA Patron Hanif Yusoof, former Minister A.H.M. Fowzie, former Minister Karunasena Kodituwakku and Chairman of the Board of Quazis M.Y.M.Faiz also attended.
The event was organised with the assistance of the many friends and family of Ismail, who were also in attendance.
Twenty-seven students were awarded two-year financial aid scholarships. These included 10 girls as well as 15 boys from Mahinda College, the alma mater of Riaz Ismail. RISF has been awarding scholarships to deserving students since 2018.
Riaz Ismail dedicated his life and career to public service at a very young age. At age 20, he became the Founder President of the Galle Muslim Cultural Association which he grew into a uniting force that brought people of all faiths and cultures together while also helping underprivileged children complete their education.
He also established and nurtured several NGOs and championed girls and science-based education long before they were mainstream.
Merci Lanka Foundation, All Ceylon Moors Association, Moors Islamic Cultural Home and the Lady Fareed Home for Elders are but some of the charities he served. His esteemed career spanned a diversity of ministries, from social services to rural industries development, youth empowerment to socioeconomic development, and defence and agriculture.
RISF was founded, in memoriam, by his family, to continue his legacy of social service. RISF provides scholarships in the form of financial assistance to underprivileged, school-going students who have shown academic promise to help them achieve their educational goals. RISF also mentors the students and offers career counselling, ensuring they are set on their chosen path to achievement. Applications for the next batch of awards can be found at http://www.riazismailsf.org/apply/.