Sunday Times 2
Rukshan Karunanayake releases Sinhala autism song
View(s):Rukshan Karunanayake is a young man on a mission. He wants to raise awareness of a serious issue in Sri Lanka – autism. There are 39,000 people with autism in our island and 67 million people on the spectrum around the world. They all need structured support.
Rukshan recently released a beautiful and moving song ‘Mamath Eka Malak’ for Autism held on Sunday, February 9. This global event was launched in 2002 with a historic service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London by the Sri Lanka-born international autism campaigners Ivan and Charika Corea. Rukshan had dedicated ‘Mamath Eka Malak’ to their son Charin Corea and all children and young people with autism in Sri Lanka.
Rukshan Karunayake in Concert with Rukshan Perera in Colombo
‘Mamath Eka Malak’ was unveiled on Channel Eye on Saturday. February 8. It is the story of parents, carers and people with autism. The song is all about the beauty and brokenness of the world of autism. Parents and carers go through so much on a daily basis – many face sleep deprivation. And yet they do all of this for love – they want the world to appreciate their children – like a flower needs appreciation. Not only is appreciation needed but action on autism as well. These children may have the label of autism but they are a blessing and Rukshan believes that they can play a role in society. He is set to perform ‘Mamath Eka Malak’ to local audiences, as he wants to raise awareness of the condition. He is a musician with a social conscience.
The veteran SLBC presenter Nihal Bhareti recently interviewed Rukshan Karunanayake – this is yet another first when this historic Sinhala Autism Song for 2014 was played over the airwaves of the English Services of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation on Friday 21st February at 6.30 p.m.
Rukshan won the GLOBAL AUTISM AWARD from the UK for the first Sinhala autism song in the Commonwealth for 2014.