Category Archives: cultural transmission

February 3, 2025 · 8:53 pm

Stalwarts Three from Yesteryear: Sri Lankans of Distinction

Upali Obeyesekere, whose chosen title reads thus: “Tribute to ‘Sons of the Soil’ who made a huge contribution towards the Economy and Socio-cultural Aspects of Sri Lanka.”

Summa   

 Jackson Anthony

 

 

Lalith Kotelawela

Sri Lanka lost a few stars of yesteryear recently and it is our bounden duty to recognise these individuals in our popular monthly tabloid – The Sri Lankan Anchorman. They came from diverse backgrounds in terms of birth, schooling, and upbringing. But they all had one mission in life – to excel at what they do to exude a commitment of excellence in their chosen field and bring pride to our motherland – Sri Lanka.

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January 23, 2025 · 4:59 pm

In Apprecation of Professor H.A. de S. Gunasekera

Sumanasiri Liyanage, … His Prologue to An Academic Appreciation of Professor HA De S Gunasekera

Prologue …. Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Head, Department of Economics, Members of Prof. H A De S Gunasekera family, colleagues, Friends and students.

It is indeed a pleasure to be in Peradeniya once again, and I felt honored and privileged when I was asked to deliver the Prof H. A. De S. Gunasekera memorial oration 2025 for which I thank Prof Sri Ranjith, Head/Economics and members of the H.A. De S. Gunasekera Memorial Committee.

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January 22, 2025 · 12:15 pm

Irawati Karwe: A Female Scholar Confronting Nazi Racism as well as the Wild

Cherylann Mollan, presenting an article entitled “India’s pioneering female anthropologist who challenged Nazi race theories” …..  BBC News Mumbai 19 January 2025

Irawati Karve’s writings about Indian culture and civilisation are ground-breaking.

Irawati Karve led a life that stood apart from those around her. Born in British-ruled India, and at a time when women didn’t have many rights or freedoms, Karve did the unthinkable: she pursued higher studies in a foreign country, became a college professor and India’s first female anthropologist.

She also married a man of her choosing, swam in a bathing suit, drove a scooter and even dared to defy a racist hypothesis of her doctorate supervisor – a famous German anthropologist named Eugen Fischer.

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January 21, 2025 · 3:07 pm

Kittu, Tamil Tiger Commander, reaches the Heights of Wikipedia

WIKIPEDIA Item: … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kittu_(Tamil_militant)

Colonel Kittu (Tamil militant)

 

Born S. Krishnakumar

2 January 1960
Died 16 January 1993 (aged 33)

Indian Ocean
Nationality Sri Lankan
Years active 1978 –1993
Organization Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

Sathasivam Krishnakumar (Tamil: சதாசிவம் கிருஸ்ணகுமார்; 2 January 1960 – 16 January 1993; commonly known by the nom de guerre Kittu) was a Sri Lankan Tamil rebel and leading member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a separatist Tamil militant organisation in Sri Lanka.

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January 21, 2025 · 12:51 am

Victor Ivan, RIP: …. The Wikipedia Memo on Victor

Michael Roberts,

 I got to know Victor at a convivial session at Ananda Chittambalam’s house in Bambalapitiya in 1989. Our common interests in the island’s history and its tempestuous present meant that we kept in sporadic touch. I have his illustrated book PARADISE IN TEARS  …. and I will present a Vale as well as items referring to his articles and work in Thuppahi. His demise at a relatively early age is a blow to all Sri Lankan patriots.

WIKIPEDIA

Majuwana Kankanamage Victor Ivan (Sinhala: මාජුවානා කන්කානම්ගේ වික්ටර් අයිවන්; 26 June 1949 – 19 January 2025) was a Sri Lankan journalist. He was a Marxist rebel in his youth and later became the Editor of the controversial Sinhalese newspaper Ravaya. He served as the Editor of Ravaya for 25 years consecutively from its inception. Victor was an investigative journalist, political critic, a theorist, social activist and also an author of several books.

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January 20, 2025 · 12:08 am

Machu Picchu: A Historic Inca Site Beyond Imagination

Troy Bramston, in The WEEKEND Australian, 18-19 2025, where the chosen title is “Unlocking the mysteries of Machu Picchu in Peru”

A view of Machu Picchu in Peru, which stands 2,430 m above sea-level, created by the Inca Empire. Picture: Troy Bramston.

As you climb the ancient trail of the Incas and catch glimpses of Machu Picchu, situated on a mountaintop in the Sacred Valley of Peru, you begin to prepare yourself for what lies ahead as it slowly comes into full view. You increase the pace on the winding path even as the air density decreases and each step sucks the air out of you as you reach almost 2500m above sea-level. But suddenly, there it is: a place almost beyond imagination.

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January 19, 2025 · 5:17 pm

Mind-blowing Choreography From 11-Year Olds at Hirana, Panadura

Mayura Botejue

HIRANA KANISHTA VIDYALAYA CONCERT: I attended this concert on Friday (Jan 17) staged at the Panadura Town Hall and it literally blew me away!

Hirana (where I live) has emerged from a village status to a small town that adjoins Panadura. I have befriended many of the locals and occasionally stop by to chat with a couple who live with their extended family (home by my walking trail). During a recent visit, one of the granddaughters (cute kid) asked me to come to her school concert that she and her siblings were taking part in. I said sure, thinking that the matter would be soon forgotten. Not so! The talk spread that I was coming and they notified my ‘man Friday’ that they had bought a ticket for me. Okay, so no big deal. It will be at the Hirana Primary School located nearby and I could make the time to attend this small concert staged at the school premises. I received the ticket and it indicated location – Panadura Town Hall.

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January 16, 2025 · 12:22 pm

A Drumbeat For The Geriatric Elderly in Sri Lanka

KKS Perera, in Daily News,  16 January 2025, where the chosen title is “Aging With Dignity” … with highlighting imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi

It was Hubert H. Humphrey who said, “The moral test of a State is how it treats the elderly; those who are in the dimness of life; the sick, the deprived and the handicapped.”

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January 14, 2025 · 8:19 pm

An Elephantine Blockage in Sri Lanka! … & An Elephantine Problem!

Wasantha Chandrapala, in Daily Mirror, 12 January 2025

The Tempitiya-Mahaoya road in Ampara has been closed for traffic and pedestrian movement for the past three days due to an injured wild elephant frequenting the road. Residents of the area said the closure of the road had disrupted civilian life.

HEADLINE in DAILY MIRROR, 12 January 2025 = “Elephant closes Tempitiya-Mahaoya road for three days”

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January 14, 2025 · 1:18 pm

Seeking “PEOPLE INBETWEEN” in Adelaide

PEOPLE INBETWEEN was a collaborative project involving Percy Colin-Thome, Ismeth Raheem and Michael Roberts in the year 1989. Its foundation was that of the CA Lorenz Mss in a cabinet held by the Royal asiatic Society. The RAS was housed then in a section of the Colombo Racecourse. Percy, alas, is no more with us; but his labours were central to the deployment of the documents; while a sabbatical yar of research in 1988/89 enabled me to work on the project alongiside my other tasks.  The term “inbetween” in the title was crafted in non-grammatical manner from my aesthetic preference.

The Sarvodaya printing establishment helped us in material ways in producing the book in a situation of political and economic difficulty within the island.

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