SOMAWEERA SENANAYAKE

The 74th birth anniversary of award-winning tele drama script writer, journalist and author Somaweera Senanayake falls on November 25. Somaweera who passed away on June 9 last year, was born in a village near Avissawella, He started his career as a journalist at Lake House and was the one-time editor of Navayugaya. He published novels like Yashoravaya, Mawakage Geethaya, Baladevage Lokaya, Irahanda Payana Loke and Ambu Samiyo. He also became the first Sri Lankan to receive a Master of Arts Degree for a novel (for Yashoravaya). He had published about 17 novels and wrote 10 children’s short stories. In the tele drama scene, he wrote about 30 scripts which included Doo Daruwo, Asalwesiyo, Palingu Menike, Sitha Niwana Katha and others. He also wrote a few film scripts including Dr. Lester James Peries’ last film ‘Ammawarune’.