PROFESSOR SUNETHRA KANKANAMGE LINGUISTIC ERUDITE SCHOLAR SENIOR LECTURER IN SANSKRIT LITERATURE ,CLASSICAL,THEATRE AND PERFORMING STUDIES,ART OF POETRY,LOVES SONGS AND STANZAS AT SUMMIT OF FAME – by Sunil Thenabadu
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Dr Sunethra Kankanamge senior lecturer in the University of Sri Jayewardenapura, had taught initially oriental literature, the art of singing, the art of poetry, classical literature, specialised in theatre and performing studies, but now teaches exclusively Sanskrit literature as the professor in the department of Sinhala and Mass communication. Having expertise and fluency in world’s many languages via experimentation, one who had loved abundantly the song and stanza. In the recent past era of Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions she had undergone immense hardships in teaching online owing to the current catastrophe which denied her to teach all students as the power is interrupted not at once but alternatively according the stipulated schedules. Sunethra had lamented that this crisis issue had barred in teaching online when her and students’ vigour levels were at high ebb in the mornings and afternoons which could be summed up as an unfortunate dilemma. This she attributed for the many people to become lethargic and lacklustre .
Sunethra is one exceptional individual who could with consummate ease turn to any conversation abruptly for an erudite discussion. Sunethra is well respected as a scholarly sporadic personality from a very top drawer. As a professor she is erudite as well as hilarious who had elevated to unprecedented high altitudes from her enormous academic educations. She is acclaimed as a mastermind and intellect having navigated over all possible qualifications in a university in Art at a relatively young phase in her life, her sensible triumphs and accomplishments should be documented by the Guiness Book institution. It is a pity as it had not happened.
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Born to humble parents in Kumarakanda in Galle zone had studied at Sangamitta Balika Vidyalaya in Galle had lived in a gorgeous world with two younger sisters and two younger brothers as her siblings. The family has had very humble beginnings, mother had got married very young at a tender age of twenty one years. Father the sole breadwinner had worked as a Director in water supply & drainage board in Embilipitiya had lived away from home most of the time, when all home burdens had to be accepted and hurdled by mother with the meagre money her father had given. As during Sunethra’s younger days, she had obviously felt mother’s struggle to bring up five children sans any sustenance from any close relatives. It had struck her when their life was a battle to get up on her feat somehow later in life. As compared in today’s context, it is heard of mothers’ who jump to rivers carrying babies to commit suicide imputing to sheer poverty. Sunethra reminisces mother telling the most important thing for a married women is to maintain her dignity ,a state of being of honour and respect, a quality of been noble in character as a sense of pride on one’s character . Sunethra too follows her mother in this respect even to date as her prime principle too is. In school in the advanced level owing to her love to music had preferred the arts stream though she has had best results though many had insisted her to follow the biology stream, even to date in life she jokingly had uttered in a television dialog she is still first ,unbeatable. She had reminisced in a television dialog that from her younger days she had been unbeatable becoming first in the class even later at university level the best undergraduate in academic education. Sunethra had revealed that she does what she thinks good for her and do not follow the advice of others ,also never used to imitate anyone. Her University had been initially the Peradeniya campus but had been very short lived only for two days owing to her passion and dire appetite for music had moved on transfer to Sri Jayawardenapura university in Gangodawila.Though her intention was to master music from B Victor Perera she had learned initially the violin, Sunethra possesses a Sangeetha Visharada in Violin, Sangeetha Visharada in vocals also had won many certificates for having participated in all island schools singing competitions while at Sangamitta Balika..
Sunethra had never failed to attend lectures particularly of Professors Tissa Kariyawasam,Sunil Ariyaratne, Srimal Wijeratne .Sunethra had affirmed she never missed the lectures of Professor Tissa Kariyawasam as she loved theatre art ,she was ever willing to portray the role of “Ratnavali” when requested .She had been the first to alight on the stage among one thousand or so other students. Sunethra had claimed adding that she had taught students music in Galle prior to entering the university for her love for music. In a class of Srimal Wijeratne he had asked a linguistic question as how could a “Murthada Nayanna” appears in a word instead of the normal ‘Nayanna” at the end of a sentence. It had been Sunethra who had intelligently answered with a ‘cultural slogan” which had dumfounded the lecturer who had added you are a “golden student’. This uttering had inspired and stimulated Sunethra to tall elevations had thought this is the ideal place for her to be a university lecturer. She had stopped all her music classes in Galle had made a vow for herself not to get involved in any love affair. She was stimulated greatly to read all literature books available had confessed that if any question was posed from ‘Kavyashekera’ she could answer having become a prolific reader. Thereafter she had registered for MA degree had visited India attending to Jawahalal Nehru University in New Delhi ,India which is an acclaimed as one of the finest universities in the world..Sunethra had lived for six years had traversed all over India having visited every nick and corner in India was able to describe the real beauty of India barring a few congested places with uncongenial living for some unfortunate sections of the society. Sunethra had passed all possible university degrees one could achieve perhaps to be the most erudite Professor in native Sri Lanka at such a young age .After her BA Honours degree from the Jayewardenepura university she had obtained MA,PGD in writership& communication (US.J) MPhil: PhD (JNU). Sunethra had previously taught students oriental literature, the art of singing, the art of poetry, classical literature, specialised in theatre and performing studies, now Professor Sunethra teaches Sanskrit literature.
During a television dialog she emphasised poet Kalidasa is the greatest Indian poet who could only be compared only to Shakespeare. Kalidasa is regarded as the greatest Indian poet explains how life is to be spent cheerfully and enthusiastically. Megaduta ( cloud messenger) a lyric love poem book with 115 verses which is unique to Sanskrit literature. Where the poet attempts to go beyond the strophic ( verse repeating form) unity , what happens when the duo departs, explained very meticulously. The meanings of the lyrics clearly explain the real feelings of a loving couple or a married couple via the poems so cleverly worded. In this regard from the faces this situation is shown from the dialogues, behaviour etc, Likewise Sunethra in a television confrontation had explained many other meanings of Kalidasa poems. It was disclosed by Sunethra that many ancient and contemporary poets had imitated Kalidasa ,even to date. Sunethra emphasized that it is the fantasy that drives all lives of people though having many hardships like poverty, hunger,unemplyment. Fantasy is what is inside once mind to view all subtly and delicately, one should read books, novels, poems, listen to songs, music to live happily in a fantasy world despite many shortcomings faced. Sunethra had lived in India for six years had travelled across three fourths of the entire country in trains continuously for two days from one state to the other, of course there had been places which were not conducive even to walk but still she claimed India to be a beautiful country. But to those Sri Lankans who had gone to India only for worshipping like to Madras etc may say it is a dirty place. But Sunethra had given them the correct picture of India disproving their views. Of course, she had lamented about the difficult journey by train which she had never experienced anywhere. But still for Sunethra India is a magnificent country sans some few flaws having a mammoth population.
She had authored thirteen books, initially ‘Sangeetha Rasa Dhara’ in year 2006 ,in year 2007 ‘Shuddhavasaya’, ‘Vrkshalatha gana puduma katha’ in year 2008, Ranvan Kiyaman also in year 2008 ,also “Kalidasa”, her advice always to students is to study hard read books to enhance knowledge which is vital for every student. Sunethra is very fluent in the Hindi language perhaps she stands above many others in this zone. She is called upon to many radio and television programs where the meanings of Hindi songs need to be interpreted which she does to precision .For instance when a song for instance ‘Ye Meera Premapartra Padh ‘ is played on air she interrupts to explain the meaning sentence by sentence so competently. It is the same with Sinhalese songs for instance “Seetha Arane Supun Nadalu” song she explains very clearly to many audiences. Sunethra is the most sought-after erudite personality to be invited to many radio and television programs very often at times making the presenters too flowed and dumbfounded by her assertions . On erotic literature-srungara sahithiya programs Sunethra excels explaining what real feel of srungara which is “great joy of life’ which she affirms supersedes all other joys which is displayed in the eyes of the related person.. Sunethra had participated in programs like ‘Dawase Sithuwili” ‘thoughts of the day’, Sinhala grammar programs too…
Sunethra has participated in diverse television channels .In the Charana television she participated in a long discussion with Vajira Jayawardena in programs like “Kavi 10 ta Gee 10 k where she explains the meanings of the contents of poems written by vivid poets where Sunethra also chose appropriate songs. Sunethra’s pleasing nature, disposition and her inimitable style and pleasant voice added much glamour to this program.It was also so in the program “Levisara premaya” cum ‘Srungara Sahithiya” also on Charana television her impressive knowledge in the subject made viewers to watch with profound interest in the discussion. Sunethra was invited to the guest chair at the popular SLRC program ‘Sihinayaki Re” where she had to select ten songs , the reasons for choosing them were very appropriately explained through which too many viewers were educated to an unparalleled tall altitudes. To sing the songs she had selected very aptly Raveen Kanishka and Uresha Ravihari two ideal vocalists.In all her programs Sunethra’s standard of the Sinhalese vernacular is very superior and high ranking with her unique type of presentation ,any student or layman would love to listen and learn as there is so much to learn irrespective of ages.
A fantastic professor like Sunethra Kankanamge imparts her extensive knowledge and expertise in many fields to her students, having created a positive learning environment having known the aptitudes of each student. She possesses disposition, pleasantness in abundance, ample passion, humour, and enthusiasm sans a monotone voice, which makes the students to listen to her with supreme curiosity. All her followers and students would wish her more successes for all her future endeavours in diverse fields via through she has already navigated triumphantly.
Sunil Thenabadu
e mail sthenabadu@hotmail.com
WhatsApp 001444533242
