Wijetunga Karunaratne Edwin Ariyadasa is a veteran journalist in Sri Lanka, who is also a media consultant, newspaper editor and an author.
Early life
Ariyadasa was born on 3 December 1922 in Unawatuna, Southern Sri Lanka. His father was V. K. Abraham Appuhamy, mother was Sisiliana Hamine. He had three elder brothers and two elder sisters. He had his primary education at Buddhist Mixed School in Unawatuna and received his secondary education at Mahinda College, Galle. He entered the University of Ceylon in 1945 and passed out with a bachelor's degree in Sinhala and English languages. He taught at Mahinda College for some time. And then he returned to Colombo and started his career as the Secretary of the General Insurance Company. on 3 March 1949, he joined Lake House.
At the Lake House, he was a member of the Editorial Staff of most of the Lake House Publications. He was on the Editorial Staff of Divaina, Daily News, Sunday Observer, Silumina, Janatha and was the Editor – in – Chief of "Navanugaya". He initiated the study of Mass Communication at the Higher Education in Sri Lanka. He formulated the first syllabus to teach mass communications at the University of Kelaniya. Also, he was associated with the introduction of media studies at the Open University of Sri Lanka. He was highly influential in the inauguration of the Diploma of Mass Communications at the University of Colombo. Edwin Ariyadasa is appraised for introducing new Sinhala terms for English terms such as Antarjalaya', 'Madya Rupa' and 'Sajivikaranaya'.
Other work
First Director Promotion of the Central Environment Authority.
Consultant to the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies.
Chairman of the committee to formulate Mass Media Policy for Sri Lanka.
Awards and honours and honorific
Honours
"Golden Lion Peace Award" for Commitment to Peace and Harmony – Presented by Sōka Gakkai-Singapore Branch 2005
Rotaract Award for the Outstanding Service to the Community presented by ROTARRCT 13 March 2001
Unda Homage Award for the service to the Sri Lankan Medi given at UNDA ABHINANDANA 1996
Golden Felicitaion Awardfor the Best Journalist 1994 presented by National Communicators Association Sri Lanka
Sanjananee Media Awaord for the service to the Sri Lankan Media from University of Kelaniya 2006
Kala Lanka Award for the service to the Sinhala Cinema presented by Kala Lanka Padanama 2001-01-21
Ranapala Bodhinagoda Memorial Award for the service to Sinhala Cinema from Sarasaviya Film Festival 2005
OCIC Cyrill B Perera Memorial Award for the service to Sinhala Cinema 2004
Honorific
Kala Keerthi – Presented by Sri Lanka Government on 22 May 1992
Arya Keerthi Sri Janatha Probodhanee – Presented by The Secretariat to rid undue privileges and discriminations and to monitor human rights and fundamental rights on 1 January 2003
Word of the Buddha- Jointly with Ven. Weragoda Sarada, Kondanna
Translations
Amarica Ithihasaye Jiwmana Wartha – Sinhala Translation of "Living Documents of American History" by Prof. Henry Steele Commager*Jayagrahanayaka Piyasatahan – Sinhala Translation of Jimmy Carter's Autobiography – "Why not the Best?"
Hudakala Kalakaru – Sinhala Translation of "The Lonely Artist" – a study of Film Director Lester James Peiris by Phillip Cooray.
Niwaradiwa Sithime Maga – Sinhala Translation of "How to Think Clearly" By Lionel Ruby.
Americanu Viplawaye Arutha – Sinhala Translation of "The Meaning of the American Revolution" by DAN LACY
Weera Charitha – Sinhala Translation of Profiles in Courage by President John F. Kennedy
Everest Dinapotha – Sinhala Translation of "Everest Diary" by John Mc Callum
Pahasuwen Sitin: Ma Yahaluwanta Kiyana Kathandara – Sinhala Translation of "At Ease: Stories I Tell my Friends" by Dwight Eisenhower
Three Characters – English Translation of K. Jayatillake's "Charita Thunak"
2001 Lokaya – Sinhala Translation of "The World in 2001" by H.D.Halacy
Oxford picture Dictionary – English – Sinhala
Saradharma Adyapanaya – Sinhala Translation of SOKA Education by Dr.Daisaku Ikeda
