News
Five veterans who will be felicitated on Tuesday
D. Solomon Ranasinghe
D. Solomon Ranasinghe began his career as a journalist in 1954 at the Dinamina. He has also worked on the Editorials of Silumina, Janata and Daly News newspapers of the Lake House Group.
After his stint at Lake House, he started his own newspaper Thiramina. However, due to unavoidable circumstances, the newspaper folded up.
An old boy of Carey College, Colombo, he is a Director of Headline Media Academy – a media training institute which organises workshops for journalists.
Anne Abayasekara
Anne Abayasekara began her professional life over 60 years ago under two eminent Editors, Mr. H. A. J. Hulugalle of the Ceylon Daily News and Mr. H. D. Jansz of the Sunday Observer and the Daily Observer. She handled the Women’s Page at Lake House for both newspapers.
Mrs. Abayasekera left Lake House in 1951 when she had her third child. She continued writing to newspapers thereafter as a freelance journalist, and her articles appeared in various newspapers and journals. Later on, she had a regular column in what she called the “old” Sunday Times for many years.
As she was a trained family counselor, from the first issue of Lanka Woman in February 1984, she became what may be called an “Agony Aunt”, responding to reader queries.
Today, at age 89, she still writes to the newspapers, mostly to the Sunday Times and The Sunday Island.
Bandu S. Kodikara
Bandus S. Kodikara counts 48-years as a photojournalist working for the Dinamina, Lankadeepa, Divaina and Lakbima newspapers. He has also served as Pictures Editor on those newspapers.
Mr. Kodikara received his early education at the Panadura Cyril Jansz Vidyalaya.
In 1960 he joined the Davasa Group, working for the children’s newspaper Tikiri, where he learnt journalism and later moved to Sarasaviya – a cinema magazine – published by the Lake House Group. In 1966 he was promoted Chief Pictures Editor of the Lake House Group. His photographs appeared in the Daily News, Sunday Observer, Dinamina and Silumina.
He joined Wijeya Newspapers in 1980 as Chief Photographer, and his photographs appeared on the cover of Sirikatha newspaper.
In 1984 he joined Upali Newspapers as Pictures Editor of the Divaina newspaper.
In 2008 he joined the Sumathi Group as Pictures Editor of the Lakbima newspaper.
Ajantha Ranasinghe
Ajantha Ranasinghe was born in Kurunegala and after a brief stint in a rural school moved to Nugegoda, where he studied at St. John’s College. He gave up studies and wrote poetry and short stories to the Children’s Page in the Silumina and Peramuna newspapers.
He joined Dinamina newspaper in 1965 as a staff reporter and then moved to positions of Subeditor, local News Editor, additional Chief Subeditor, Chief Subeditor and Features Editor. During this period he was also appointed Editor of Navayugaya.
He has written the lyrics for several songs and has won the President’s Award for Best Song Writer of the Year on three occasions, and several other prestigious awards, including the State Literary Award.
Rasiah Selvarajah
Rasiah Selvarajah took to journalism in 1971 and joined Dinapathy and Chinatamani published by the Independent Newspaper Group in 1977. In 1983 he was appointed Assistant News Editor and Regional News Editor for both newspapers until the closure of the Group in 1990.
He moved to Virakesari that year and for eight years was their Defence Correspondent.
In June 1998, he joined the Maharaja Organisation as Editor for Shakthi FM Radio. He later founded the Shakthi Tamil News FM Bulletin, but re-joined Virakesari in 2008 and worked there until 2011.
In 2001, The Hill Country Cultural and Art Association presented him with the Rathnatheepam Award. In August 2003, the Sri Lanka Tamil Media Forum presented him with the Best Media Persons Award.
