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Appreciating and Remembering M. J. Perera

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Senaka Weeratana

M. J. Perera was a founder member of the Lanka Dhammaduta Society which was founded by Asoka Weeraratna on Sept.21, 1952 ( later re- named as German Dharmaduta Society on May 8, 1957). M.J. Perera was elected as a Vice – President of the Society at its inaugural meeting held on Sept. 21, 1952. Subsequently he was elected as the President of the German Dharmaduta Society (GDS) in 1957 and functioned in that capacity for many years. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the GDS from 1966 – 2000.

He was introduced to Asoka Weeraratna in 1952 while he i.e. M,J. Perera, was the first Director – General, Radio Ceylon, by the late Austin de Silva who was the Editor of the ‘ Buddhist Opinion‘ magazine and dedicated Buddhist Worker. Austin de Silva was also elected as a Vice – President of the GDS at its inaugural meeting in 1952. ……    see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._J._PereraThis picture was taken on June 15, 1957 at the Elizabeth Quay, Colombo Harbour, on the occasion of the departure of the first Buddhist Mission from Sri Lanka to Germany.  Mr. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, then Prime Minister is seen walking in front. Behind him are Mr. Dharmasena Weeraratna ( brother of Asoak Weeraratna in white national dress) and Mr. R.S.S. Gunawardene ( then Ambassador to the UN in New York). Next to R.S.S. Gunawardena (on his left) is Mr. Duncan de Alwis ( Private Secretary to the Prime Minister) and immediately behind Mr. de Alwis is Mr. M.J.Perera ( President, German Dharmaduta Society) on the right wearing a white suit

M.J.Perera
Born 3 February 1915 Padukka, Sri Lanka
Died 14 March 2002 (aged 87)
Nationality  Sri Lankan
Education Government Bilingual School, Padukka (currently M.D.H. Jayawardena Kanishta Vidyalaya) Nalanda College, Colombo
Occupation Education / Broadcasting / Television executive
Employer The Government of Sri Lanka
Known for The first Ceylonese Director-General of Radio Ceylon first Chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation
Predecessor John Lampson, Director-General,Radio Ceylon
Spouse(s) Mrs.Gnathie Ratna Perera

Mapatunage James “M. J.” Perera was a Sri Lankan civil servant, born on 3 February 1915 with nine members in his family in Udumulla,Padukka. He created broadcasting history by being the first Ceylonese Director General of Radio Ceylon, the oldest radio station in South Asia, taking over the helm from John Lampson of the BBC.[1] Perera witnessed the transformation of Radio Ceylon as King of the Airwaves in South Asia [2] the radio station was the market leader and the number one radio station in the region during the 1950s and 1960s, with a loyal base of millions of listeners.[3] Radio Ceylon enjoyed huge success under his leadership. Clifford Dodd, an Australian administrator, was appointed (via the Colombo Plan) as the first Director of the Commercial Service of Radio Ceylon and he contributed to the station’s popularity across the Indian sub-continent. M.J.Perera was also appointed the first Chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation,the island’s television station and the country’s first competent authority.

Born on 3 February 1915 in Padukka, he was educated at Rajabisheka Vidyalaya (Primary education) – Padukka Nalanda College Colombo and at the University of Ceylon. He became an assistant Government Agent and went on to become the Permanent Secretary of the Education and Cultural Affairs Ministry and later as first Chairman of the Rupavahini (Television) Corporation, retiring from the Sri Lanka Administrative Service after 48 years public service.

Contents

  1. “When Ceylon ruled the airwaves”. Retrieved 2008-09-04.

ADDENDUM: MJ Perera was interviewed by Michael Roberts on 23rd September 1967 as one among the many falling into the oral history researches in the project ROHP.  These biographical Q and A investigations were recorded on spool. They were subsequently transferred to cassette, courtesy of Adelaide University grants and thereafter to CDs. This storehouse now reposes in the Special Collections of the Bar Smith Library, University of Adelaide. What is more, with the help of monies from Roberts and a few of his friends in Australia the CDs have recently been digitized.

SO: each and every recorded interview is open to interested persons anywhere in the world…. Not just the Leonard Woolf interview.

To get to the Roberts Oral History Project recordings:

Option 1:

Go to the Michael Roberts manuscripts listing http://www.adelaide.edu.au/library/special/mss/roberts/

And click on the link to Adelaide Research and Scholarship under Series 1 – Digital versions

Option 2: Do a Google search on Michael Roberts. Oral History Project

Option 3:

Go to the University of Adelaide Libraries home page http://www.adelaide.edu.au/library/

On left hand menu bar click ‘Digital Services’

Then ‘Adelaide Research & Scholarship’

Then type in ‘Michael Roberts’ into the search bar at the top left of the screen to retrieve all your online items

Option 4:

Go to the University of Adelaide Libraries home page http://www.adelaide.edu.au/library/

On left hand menu bar click ‘Digital Services’

Then ‘Adelaide Research & Scholarship’

Click on ‘Communities and collections’

Scroll down to ‘University Library: Special Collections

Click on ‘Sound recordings’\

And then on ‘Title’ box to see a title list of recordings

Click on the title of the recording and then on View/Open to listen.

 

Regards

Cheryl

Cheryl Hoskin Special Collections Librarian       Ph: (08) 8313 5224 Barr Smith Library                Email : cheryl.hoskin@adelaide.edu.au University of Adelaide S.A. 5005.

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