Special award for Samantha
Three decades in journalism and 25 years as editor of Lankadeepa arts page
Experienced journalist and Daily Lankadeepa’s Features Editor Samantha Yahampath was awarded for his long time contribution to Sri Lanka’s cinema, music and art. Samantha was given a special award by the Human Rights Media Unit of Sri Lanka which jointly organised the event with the Eksath Kala Sandanaya, Malar FM and Siyalu Jaathinge Ekamuthuwa at the Postal Headquarters Auditorium in Colombo recently. Awards were given to artistes and journalists from different ethnic groups who have served the country in their respective fields. Samantha who was awarded for his contribution to print media received his award from former Lake House and ITN Director Alhaj Hashmi Omar.
Samantha is also the editor of Daily Lankadeepa’s ‘Rasavindhana’, arts supplement dedicated for cinema, music and art.
A student from Sri Subhodi National School in Battaramulla, Samantha joined ‘Yowun Janatha’ of Lake House as a young reporter in 1989. Later in September 1991, he joined the first staff of Daily Lankadeepa and worked as a feature writer under Mahinda Dalugodaarachchi. This year Samantha who celebrates 30 years in journalism dedicated nearly 25 years handling the arts pages of the newspaper. At present he is the longest serving editor of the arts pages of any national newspapers in Sri Lanka. He holds two Diplomas in Journalism from Colombo and Open Universities
In September Samantha was also awarded at the Jaffna International Cinema Festival (JICF) for his contribution to cinema specially for the promotion of cinema in the Jaffna peninsula.
Samantha was grateful to journalist Mahinda Dalugodaarachchi, his first mentor in journalism and Lankadeepa Associate Editor Chandriaka Wijesundara and Lankadeepa Editorin-Chief Siri Ranasinghe for their support throughout his long journey as a journalist and an editor.