Times Online

 The 13^th edition of the Journalism Awards for Excellence 2011 concluded yesterday  (July 31) at the Mount Lavinia Hotel.

Seen above are the winners of the Wijeya Newspaper Group.

The following awards were distributed

 Journalist of the Year - Lasantha Weerakulasuriya

Scoop of the year - Anthony David - Sunday Times

Best Designed newspaper  of the Year – Winner – Sunday Times

Merit – Rivira Newspapers

Merit – Vivivelli 

Best cartoonist of the year – winner – Gihan de Chikera – Daily Mirror

Merit – S. Jayapalan – Veerakesari Daily

Merit – Anjana Indrajith – Lakbimanews

Photo journalist of the year – winner – Sanka Vidanagama Ceylon Today

Merit –Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa

Merit  - M. S. Saleem- Metro News

Best Sports  Journalist- CHannaka de Silva – Daily Mirror

Merit - M. Mariadhasan Michael Silvester - Virakesari Weekly

Merit - Chamila Kuruwita - Daily Divaina

Best Environmental Journalist – Rathindra Kuruwita – Lakbima news

Merit - Balasubramaniyam Kirubaharan - Thinakkural

Columnist of the year – winner – English – Chandani Kirinde Sunday Times

Columnist of the year - winner - Tamil - P. A. Aswin Sutharson of Yarlosai Weekly

Columnist of the Year - winner - SInhala - Wimalarathana Weerarathne - Ravaya

Feature writer of the year – English – Nadia Fazlulhaq - Sunday Times

Feature Writer of the Year - Tamil - Mohamed Hussain Fathima Husna of Thinakkural Weekly

Feature writer of the year - Sinhala - Mihiri Fonseka - Lakbima

Business Journalist of the Year - Not awarded

Young Reporter of the year - winner  – Dianne Silva – Daily Mirror

Award for reporting under special circumstances - Tissa Ravindra Perera - Rivira

                                         - Sugath Priyantha Kulatungaarachchi- Irida Lakbima

Award for earning the apprciation of Peers and Public - Nuwan Gankanada - Irida Lakbima

Award fopr Defending Press Freedom - Citizens Movement for Good Governance

Award for reporting under special cirmstances - Tissa Ravindra Perera - Sunday  Rivira

In addition Five senior journalists received the Distinguished Service Award for Journalism in Sri Lanka.

They included

* Mr. D. C. A. (Bernie) Wijesekera joined the Times of Ceylon newspaper of the Times Group in 1954 as a Proof Reader and worked until 1958. He was re-appointed a journalist of the Times of Ceylon in 1959. He joined The Sunday Times of Wijeya Group in 1996 and continues as a senior journalist.

* Mr. Kandiah Nithyanandan started his media career as a proof reader in the Virakesari newspaper in 1961. While proof reading, he also tried his hand at drawing cartoons. He was editor overseeing upcountry news page, editor for the evening edition of Virakesari’s sister newspaper Mithran Varamalar and editor politics and features.

* Ms. Sybil Wettasinghe hails from Gintota Galle. In 1952, Sybil joined Lake House and worked for the Janatha tabloid newspaper as a children’s artist and writer. She contributed to all the newspapers in Lake House as journalist and artist.

In 1983 Sybil resumed working in the Wijaya Newspapers. In 1986 Upali Newspapers invited her to inaugurate a children’s newspaper. She was the pioneer editor of Bindu.

* Mr. S. Hewage Chithrananda was born on July 31, 1945. He started his career as a freelance photographer at Davasa newspaper in 1966. He was also employed at Udaya Newspaper. He joined the Times Group in 1973 as a freelance photographer and worked as a Provincial Photographer and later as the Chief Photographer. After the closure of the Times Group, he joined Lake House and was appointed Photo Editor. He retired from Lake House in 2002 and started his own studio.

* Mr. Sunil Madawa Premathilaka is an old Anandian. He joined Silumina Newspapers as a very young journalist. During his 19-years service at Lake House he served as the Features Editor and the Assistant Editor. When the Divaina newspaper was started he resigned from Lake House and joined Divaina as the Features Editor. He is also Editor of Lakmina Newspaper. He is also a founder member of the Free Media Movement.