Launch of “George Keyt: The Absence of a Desired Image” Dr SinhaRaja Tammita-Delgoda Source:Dailymirror Image Source:Dailymirror The latest and by far the most comprehensive study of Sri Lanka’s pre-eminent painter, George Keyt: The Absence of a Desired Image was launched at The Residence at Cinnamon Life on Tuesday, January 23. The event was attended by many of Sri Lanka’s leading intellectual figures, members of the diplomatic community, and representatives of sectors inclusive of the media, advertising, academia, civil society, and the corporate world. Authored by Dr SinhaRaja Tammita-Delgoda, Sri Lanka’s leading art historian, and published by the Taprobane Collection, one of Sri Lanka’s most extensive collections of art, George Keyt: The Absence of a Desired Image places Keyt in the context of his times, focusing on areas that have not been studied in relation to his career. The book features paintings, photographs, illustrations, and images hitherto unpublished, and archive material ...

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A long-term development policy framework for Sri Lanka from Rienzie Wijetilleke Source:Dailymirror At a gathering of business professionals at a CIMA Sri Lanka National Conference in 2006, Rienzie Wijetilleke (former Managing Director and Chief Executive at Hatton National Bank) presented a policy framework that would bring in his ideal of a Public-Private Partnership into a national development strategy for Sri Lanka, that is very much applicable today. His fellow speakers included Dr. Sarath Amunugama who spoke from the political perspective, MP Kabir Hashim from an economic perspective, banker Aravinda Perera focusing on the development finance perspective, and trade union activist Leslie Devendra bringing in the perspectives of the trade unions.  Rienzie’s candid options of the barricades the nation faces in terms of business growth, especially the inconsistency in policy, which he called ‘killing the private sector,’ and the need for decentralisation were two cases in point. He was also keen ...

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Lester James Peries and the Gold Winning “Gamperaliya”-By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Source:Dailymirror After repeated failures to find a producer to finance ‘Gamperaliya,’ Lester and Sumitra tasted success finally by finding a businessman ready able and willing to help produce ‘Gamperaliya’. The commercial entrepreneur cum patron of the arts who was prepared to produce Gamperaliya was none other than the legendary Anton Wickremasinghe! The greatest compliment however came from the author himself. Martin Wickramasinghe was fully satisfied after seeing the film. He told Lester that in actual fact Jinadasa of the film was a far more vivid character than in the book. What better praise could the director and actor receive? Devoting the first article in each month to a film, film personality or film related topic was a practice followed by this column for several months last year. It was well received and widely appreciated by readers in general and film fans ...

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A visionary for all time By Lakshman Hulugalle Gamini Dissanayake Source:sundaytimes.lk March 20, 2022 marks the 80th birth anniversary of the charismatic and extraordinary politician, the late Gamini Dissanayake. I still remember a day like today in 1992 how busy we were organising his book launch “Gamini Dissanayake 50, a Beginning” compiled by Dr. Sarath Amunugama and myself at the hotel formerly known as Lanka Oberoi for his 50th birthday. The colourful ceremony was presided over by India’s one time Foreign Minister Shri Natwar Singh and attended by more than 500 selected invitees. Gamini Dissanayake was born on March 20, 1942 in Kotmale, to Andrew Dissanayake and Welagedera Samaratunga Kumarihamy. He was the second in a family of seven and was educated at Trinity College, Kandy, which he joined in 1948. He entered the Law College of Sri Lanka in 1961 and passed out as an advocate, taking his oaths ...

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Kohomba Kankariya – The sociology of a Kandyan ritual-BY SARATH AMUNUGAMA Source:Sundayobserver A review Dr. Sarath Amunugama’s latest publication titled Kohomba Kankariya – the sociology of a Kandyan ritual, is a welcome addition to the limited number of research publications available to the local reader on this religious ritual which has been quite familiar to generations of people of the Kandyan region. The author who had earlier published a brief essay (Kohomba Kankariya haa Sinhala Santhikarma ratawa) in April 1968 on the subject in a Sinhala periodical devoted to arts, at the time when he was a busy bureaucrat; has now in retirement authored this new publication with interesting details and interpretations regarding this fascinating ritual. Kohomba Kankariya which is the most elaborate of the Kandyan rituals, according to legend, had been performed to cure King Panduwas who had been afflicted with a mysterious ailment.   God-King Sakra to whom ...

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