Veteran Journalist, Editor Victor Ivan passes away
Victor Ivan, the former Editor of Ravaya newspaper and a renowned Journalist, passed away at the age of 75 yesterday (19).
Born on June 26, 1949, Ivan was a student at St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota. He was an early member of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and was the seventh accused in the 1971 insurrection. Known within the JVP as “Podi Athula,” he later distanced himself from party politics and became a full-time journalist.
As a journalist, he founded the Ravaya magazine and later the Ravaya newspaper and was a pioneer who contributed to the establishment of the Free Media Movement.
Ivan contributed to various publications and initiated the Free Media Movement. He was known for his writings on social and political issues, including the challenge of tenant farming, the insurrection of’ 71, The Tamil challenge, The social background of the young rebels of Sri Lanka, From the peace pact to the impeachment, Violence, Non-Violence and Revolution, Freedom, national integration, and family struggle in politics, An unfinished struggle, and Sri Lanka: A lost paradise. Ivan’s final work was dedicated to educating the public.
