Edwin Ariyadasa

Edwin Ariyadasa
Born	(1920-12-03) 3 December 1920 Unawatuna, Sri Lanka
Residence	Sri Lanka
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Education	Mahinda College, Galle University of Colombo
Religion	Theravada Buddhism
Website	http://edwinariyadasa.org

Kala Keerthi Wijetunga Karunaratne Edwin Ariyadasa (known as Edwin Ariyadasa) (Sinhalese: එඩ්වින් ආරියදාස) (born 3 December 1920) is a veteran journalist in Sri Lanka, who is also a media consultant, newspaper editor and an author.^[1]

Early life

Ariyadasa was born on 3 December 1922 in Unawatuna, Southern Sri Lanka. His father was V. K. Abraham Appuhamy, mother was Sisiliana Hamine. He had three elder brothers and two elder sisters. He had his primary education at Buddhist Mixed School in Unawatuna and received his secondary education at Mahinda College, Galle.

He entered the University of Colombo in 1945 and passed out with a Bachelor's degree in Sinhala and English languages. He taught at Mahinda College for some time. And then he returned to Colombo and started his career as the Secretary of the General Insurance Company. on 3 March 1949, he joined Lake House.

Service to the Sri Lankan Media

At the Lake House, he was a member of the Editorial Staff of most of the Lake House Publications. He was on the Editorial Staff of Divaina, Daily News, Sunday Observer, Silumina, Janatha and was the Editor – in – Chief of "Navanugaya".

He initiated the study of Mass Communication at the Higher Education in Sri Lanka. He formulated the first syllabus to teach mass communications at the University of Kelaniya. Also, he was associated with the introduction of media studies at the Open University of Sri Lanka. He was highly influential in the inauguration of the Diploma of Mass Communications at the University of Colombo.^[2]

Edwin Ariyadasa is appraised for introducing new Sinhala terms for English terms such as Antarjalaya' (Internet), `Madya Rupa' (media images) and `Sajivikaranaya' (Animation).^[3]

Other Work

• First Director Promotion of the Central Environment Authority.
• Consultant to the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies.
• Media consultant to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• Consultant to the Lake House,
• Consultant to the Police Commission of Sri Lanka.
• Consultant (Publicity and Promotion) to Mahaweli Centre.
• Chairman of the committee to formulate Mass Media Policy for Sri Lanka.^[4]

Awards and Honors & Honorific

Honors

1. "Golden Lion Peace Award" for Commitment to Peace and Harmony - Presented by Sōka Gakkai-Singapore Branch 2005
2. Rotaract Award for the Outstanding Service to the Community presented by ROTARRCT 13 March 2001
3. Unda Homage Award for the service to the Sri Lankan Medi given at UNDA ABHINANDANA 1996
4. Golden Felicitaion Awardfor the Best Journalist (Sinhala) 1994 presented by National Communicators Association Sri Lanka
5. Sanjananee Media Awaord for the service to the Sri Lankan Media from University of Kelaniya 2006 ^[5]
6. Kala Lanka Award for the service to the Sinhala Cinema presented by Kala Lanka Padanama 2001-01-21
7. Ranapala Bodhinagoda Memorial Award for the service to Sinhala Cinema from Sarasaviya Film Festival 2005
8. OCIC Cyrill B Perera Memorial Award for the service to Sinhala Cinema 2004

Honorific

• Kala Keerthi - Presented by Sri Lanka Government on 22 May 1992
• Arya Keerthi Sri Janatha Probodhanee - Presented by The Secretariat to rid undue privileges and discriminations and to monitor human rights and fundamental rights on 1 January 2003
• Rohana Pradeepa - Presented by University of Ruhuna on 11 September 2003
• Vishwa Madya Bahusruta - Presented by Peace Energy Lamp Organization on 17 January 2005
• Minimuthu- presented by Sri Lanka Communicators Association on 18 September 2007
• Adyapanasuree, Madya keerthi, Mnawa hiawadi - Presented by Society for National Unity on 12 November 2007

Publications

Edited

• Buddha’s Life in Murals
• Parents and Children: Key to Happiness
• Vision of the Buddha
• the new Illustrated edition of Sir Edwin Arnold’s "Light of Asia" ^[6]
• Nature of Life and Death
• Morals of the Young
• The Greatest Man who ever Lived: The Supreme Buddha
• Life of Ven Ananda
• Translation into English Maha Satipattana Sutta
• English Translation of Maha Mangala Sutta
• Word of the Buddha- Jointly with Ven. Weragoda Sarada, Kondanna ^[6]

Translations

• Amarica Ithihasaye Jiwmana Wartha - Sinhala Translation of "Living Documents of American History" by Prof. Henry Steele Commager*Jayagrahanayaka Piyasatahan - Sinhala Translation of Jimmy Carter’s Autobiography – "Why not the Best?"
• Hudakala Kalakaru - Sinhala Translation of "The Lonely Artist" – a study of Film Director Lester James Peiris by Phillip Cooray.
• Niwaradiwa Sithime Maga - Sinhala Translation of "How to Think Clearly" By Lionel Ruby.
• Americanu Viplawaye Arutha - Sinhala Translation of "The Meaning of the American Revolution" by DAN LACY
• Weera Charitha - Sinhala Translation of Profiles in Courage by President John F. Kennedy
• Everest Dinapotha - Sinhala Translation of "Everest Diary" by John Mc Callum
• Pahasuwen Sitin: Ma Yahaluwanta Kiyana Kathandara - Sinhala Translation of "At Ease: Stories I Tell my Friends" by Dwight Eisenhower
• Three Characters - English Translation of K. Jayatillake's "Charita Thunak"
• 2001 Lokaya - Sinhala Translation of "The World in 2001" by H.D.Halacy (Translated jointly Mr. Benadict Dodampegama)
• Oxford picture Dictionary – English - Sinhala
• Saradharma Adyapanaya - Sinhala Translation of SOKA Education by Dr.Daisaku Ikeda

Controversies

On April 2008, Ariyadasa was offered to work as the "Programme Director of IT Management Solution" in S. R. Property Sharing Investment (Private) Limited. This company was belonged to Sakvithi Ranasinghe who was later arrested for the biggest financial fraud in Sri Lanka(Rs.1,060 million). It was said that Ariyadasa was given a monthly salary of Rs.100,000. Later it was revealed that Ariyadasa's reputation and recognition in the country was used by Sakvithi for his financial scams. He has said to the media that Sakvithi was a monster who deceived him and destroyed his image.^[7]

References