Dr. P.E.P. Deraniyagala Archives

Colombo National Museum: Our heritage, our pride-By Shaluka Manchanayake and Gayan Narandeniya Source:Sundayobserver A national museum is truly a mirror of a country’s historical, cultural and biological heritage as well as a place where a country’s pride is enshrined. A national museum educates the people about their past heritage while awakening the feelings about their country. This is the story of the Colombo National Museum which brings the proud history of Sri Lanka closer to the next generation. Sir William Henry Gregory of the United Kingdom (UK) took over as Governor of Ceylon on March 4, 1872. He was a keen observer of museums during his stay in the UK. Due to his extensive knowledge of works of art, even the British Museum had collaborated with him at the time. Having arrived in Ceylon for a five-year term, he was shocked at the cultural heritage that was lurking in the ...

Celebrating the Legacy of an Exceptional Man-by Nandasiri (Nandi) Jasentuliyana Source:Island The nation lost one of his brilliant sons when Dr. P. H. D. H. De Silva left us last week at age 93. He was an outstanding scientist who committed himself to the preservation of our heritage and maintaining our ecosystem through his pioneering studies of the reptile and annelid kingdom. Though he was a prominent personality, he was very simple and endearing to those who came to know him. Yet, he held strong views on matters of concern to him and never hesitated to express them and did so in many letters and articles published in the press. He had a brilliant mind and was an internationally recognized scholar with a trove of publications and became the second Sri Lankan appointed to the prestigious position of Director of National Museums. He carried out extensive research in a variety ...