Silver Sandella… a Jubilee Celebration – By Sugee Kannangara
Source : Qld Sri Lankan Newsletter – Dæhæna – June 2023
මගේ දුවේ ඔබ අවදියෙන්නම් මේ රැයේ මිහිරිම වෙලාවයි
My daughter, if you are still awake- open the door and come out. This indeed is the most beautiful time of the night… Indeed, this is the most beautiful time of the night- the time Sandella – the evening program of Radio 4EB Sri Lankan Group broadcasting in Sinhala goes on air, every Wednesday from 9.00- 10.00PM.
On 26 May 2023, at the station’s community hall, Radio 4EB Sri Lankan Group marked 25 continuous years of Sandella broadcasting at a euphoric gathering of members past and present.
Sandella was the innovative response to the deeply felt need to attract young members to the Programming Group to ensure sustainability. The privilege of broadcasting in Sinhala over Radio 4EB, the only radio channel dedicated to community languages in QLD, was an opportunity to be treasured. (Currently Radio 4EB broadcasts programs in 50 different languages.) Sandella had a dual purposemake the program attractive to the youth and provide light- hearted entertainment to listeners. With this dual purpose as its mission, the first Sandella program went on air on 26 May 1998.
The zenith of the jubilee celebration was the live broadcast from 9.00-10.00 pm that Wednesday evening. Participating in this special broadcast was a spectrum of programmers – some who had been participants of the very first program, and those through 25 years to the present time.
Youthful participation both on the panel and microphone, meticulous attention paid to technology for high quality rendition, live singing was evidence of purpose turning into passion.
The highlight of the evening was listening to the experiences of programmers presenting Sandella, paying scant attention to dark, icy cold nights and distances to travel to get to the station on time after work, single-mindedly intent only on presenting Sandella, enjoying camaraderie with fellow programmers.
It was also the occasion to pay tribute to the vision and leadership of those founding members – the silver thread binding the Group, enriching the lives of youthful programmers, the thread of protection, “Yajnopavitha” (පුර්ණ නූල), providing clearly spelt out guidelines on the purpose and presentation of Sandella. Sandella is an enduring legacy of commitment to the Sri Lankan community.
Sugee Kannangara
25 Years Sandella Radio Program on 24 May 2023
First Sandella Radio Program on 26 May 1998: First 30 Minutes
