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Presenting the D.R. Wijewardene
Memorial Award
The D.R. Wijewardene Memorial Award is presented each year for the best Sinhala novel in manuscript form. Initiated in 1984 by Nalini Wickremesinghe (the eldest daughter of D.R. Wijewardene) and E.E.C. Abayasekera, the prestigious award is presented in honour of the late Mr. Wijewardene, the doyen of newspapers in this country. The first award was presented to Eileen Siriwardane for her novel Balan Harimi Kadathurawa and the last to Bandula Abeysekera for Maddahana.

According to Senior Accountant of Lake House Investments, Priyantha Kalubowila, 113 unpublished manuscripts were assessed this year by an eminent panel of judges comprising Sarath Wijesuriya (Chairperson), Dr. Praneeth Abeysundare and Latha Gurusinghe, senior lecturers of Sinhala literature attached to various Universities of Sri Lanka.

The awards, first prize: Rs. 10,000, second prize: Rs. 40,000 and third prize: Rs. 20,000 and three certificates of merit, will be presented at a ceremony at the BMICH on June 8. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse (Chief Guest) and Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe, (Guest of Honour) are expected to grace the occasion. Eminent orator J.R.P. Sooriapperuma will deliver an oration on the life of the late D.R. Wijewardene.

The event is sponsored by Wijeya Newspapers Ltd-Lankadeepa, Lake House Printers and Publishers Ltd and Stamford Lake (Pvt) Ltd.

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