Edwin Ariyadasa passed away

Edwin Ariyadasa  passed away

Edwin Ariyadasa, a veteran communicator and lecturer in the field of mass communication, passed away today (22). He was 98 years old at the time of his death and was also known as the 'Walking Library'. He is a Senior Journalist and has been awarded the titles of Kala Keerthi, Kala Lanka, Arya Sri Janatha Prabodhini, Vishwa Media Polytechnic and Education Champion. Mr Ariyadasa is considered as a senior journalist, film critic, journalist, environmentalist, teacher and veteran of Sri Lanka. Wijetunga Karunaratne Edwin Ariyadasa was born on December 3, 1922, in Unawatuna, Southern Sri Lanka. His father was V. K. Abraham Appuhamy, Mother Ceciliana Hami. He had three older brothers and two older sisters. He received his primary education at the Unawatuna Buddhist Mixed School. He obtained his secondary education from Mahinda College, Galle. He entered the University of Ceylon in 1945 and graduated with a degree in Sinhala and English. He taught at Mahinda College for a while and then returned to Colombo and took a regular job as a clerk in an insurance company. On March 3, 1949, he joined the Lake House Press. He joined the editorial boards of Dinamina, Daily News, Sunday Observer, Silumina and Janatha newspapers and later became the Editor-in-Chief of Lake House's Navayugaya. He later started teaching mass communication academics in the field of higher education in Sri Lanka. He was also the person who prepared the syllabus to teach mass communication at the University of Kelaniya. He was also involved in the introduction of media studies at the Open University of Sri Lanka. 

He was heavily involved in initiating the Diploma in Mass Communication at the University of Colombo. Edwin Ariyadasa was also involved in introducing new Sinhala words for English words. Internet, media images, animation, etc., are the words he created. He has published a number of books on world information, Buddhism and counselling in English and Sinhala. 

He also edited a number of translations. He has won over 300 awards including People's Awards, Media Awards, National Awards and has also held senior positions as an advisor to various government institutions. He was not married. The last rites of Mr Ariyadasa will be announced in due course.