UNFORGETTABLES
D. R. WIJEWARDENE
The 69th death anniversary of the late D. R. Wijewardene - the greatest newspaperman in the annals of Sri Lankan print media - falls on June 13. Born on February 23, 1886, the late Don Richard Wijewardene who also played a pivotal role in the Sri Lankan independence movement, was the pioneer in streamlining newspaper production and distribution which is adhered to even today. The success story of the far-sighted entrepreneur who established Lake House newspapers revolved around his penchant for hard work, dedication and ability to extract the best output from his employees. Many legendary journalists who were groomed at Lake House said their founder was always particular about giving the best to the readers – in terms of news, ethics, knowledge and even linguistic styles. Having published newspapers in English, Sinhala and Tamil, the press baron structured a first-time network for gathering news from all parts of the country which is today called provincial news, in addition to the use of pictures and feature articles, setting up a circulation structure to dispatch newspapers to all parts of the country early every morning, thereby playing a vital role in shaping the mindsets of the masses belonging to all communities which eventually boosted the independence movement. The opening article in HAJ Hulugalle’s ‘Selected Journalism’ on the late D. R. Wijewardene, describes the calibre of the great newspaper proprietor, entrepreneur and patriot. “D. R. Wijewardene was first and last a patriot. It was the love of his country which led him to prepare, as a student in England for his life’s work. It was his realization that the struggle for independence was the one most worthy of a wealthy young man’s energies that guided him to politics. Although he possessed a strong personality he had not sufficient confidence in his ability to excel in debate or sway crowds by power of speech. He chose the far more effective method of influencing people by establishing newspapers, among the best in Asia and published in the national languages as well as in English,” it said quoting a tribute published in the Ceylon Daily News on June 14, 1950. “He always had loyal workers, men who were ready to be driven hard because they respected his integrity and devotion to duty….. But no man worked harder than Wijewardene himself…. It is not Lake House that will be a monument to the life of D. R. Wijewardene. The enduring monument will be his contribution to the building of the nation….,” it added.