From Kothmale Internet Community Radio to the Virtual Village
Two projects in one continuing history of rural access: first building a community Internet and radio network, then testing affordable wireless last-mile links that could carry access beyond a single centre.
Community radio became a gateway to the Internet
As head of the technical team, Harsha designed and implemented the WAN and LAN, a 2 Mbps radio-frequency link and the initial website for the UNESCO-supported Kothmale Internet Community Radio initiative. The project joined trusted local broadcasting with assisted Internet access and a community telecentre.
The next question: how could access reach the village?
Harsha’s later networking work on the IDRC-supported Virtual Village project developed affordable wireless last-mile connectivity for rural telecentres and communities, including work associated with Gampaha and Hatton. The project explored Wi-Fi links and practical connectivity options suited to local terrain and cost constraints.
Seen together, Kothmale and Virtual Village trace a clear development: from connecting an institution and mediating Internet knowledge through community radio, to extending the network itself into underserved communities.
Sources: Harsha’s project records; Theekshana’s public project portfolio; and the History of ICT Sri Lanka profile. Photographs are preserved in Harsha’s project archive.