News

Five Senior Journalists Honored at 25th Journalism Awards for Excellence

Published

11 months ago

2025/01/12

The Journalism Awards for Excellence 2023 celebrated a momentous milestone last Tuesday (7) as it marked 25 years of recognizing excellence in print media. Held at the Empire Ballroom of the Mount Lavinia Hotel, the prestigious event honored journalists across 38 categories, spotlighting their dedication, impact, and contributions to the industry.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of Lifetime Achievement Awards to five veteran journalists: Ammaiappapillai Yogamoorthy, N.M. Ameen, Chandrika Wijesundera, Bennet Rupasinghe, and Zanita Careem. The awards recognized their decades of service and unparalleled contributions to journalism in Sri Lanka.

Organized by The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Press Institute, the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka, the Free Media Movement, and the Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association, the event brought together media professionals from across the nation.

Among the night’s top honors, Sulochana Ramiah Mohan of Ceylon Today was named the Mervyn De Silva Journalist of the Year. Namini Wijedasa of The Sunday Times won the awards for Investigative Journalist of the Year and Best News or Feature Using RTI (English). Kamanthi Wickramasinghe of Daily Mirror received the Subramaniam Chettiar Award for Reporting on Social Issues.

The evening also acknowledged emerging talent, with Jayakody Arachchige Senuka Thiyasara Jayakody of The Sunday Times named Denzil Peiris Young Reporter of the Year.

Winners in categories such as health, business, sports, and environmental reporting underscored the breadth of Sri Lankan journalism. The awards also highlighted achievements in design, cartoons, and photojournalism.

Journalism Awards for Excellence 2023 Final Results Sheet

Print Media

1. Mervyn DeSilva Journalist of the Year– Single Award Winner: Sulochana Ramiah Mohan– Ceylon Today Merit: I. Robert Antony- Virakesari

2. Best Health Care & Medical Reporter of the year– Sinhala Winner: Illankoon Arachchilage Sureka Nilmini Illankoon- Silumina Merit: No merit

3. Best Health Care & Medical Reporter of the year– Tamil Winner: Muththu Marikkar Mohammed Marlin- Thinakaran Merit: Mohammed Hussain Fathima Husna- Thinakkural

4. Best Health Care & Medical Reporter of the year– English Winner: Nadia Fazlulhaq– The Sunday Times Merit: No merit

5. Sports Journalists of the Year– Sinhala Winner: Fawz Mohomed- Silumina Merit: No merit

6. Sports Journalists of the Year– Tamil Winner: SM.S. Mohamed Firdous- Thinakaran Merit: No merit

7. Sports Journalists of the Year– English Winner: No submission Merit: No submission

8. Business & Finance Journalist of the Year– Sinhala Winner: No winner Merit- Kotudurage Rasika Nilantha- Silumina

9. Business & Finance Journalist of the Year– Tamil Winner: Anantha Ganesha Sarma Swaminathan- Virakesari Merit: NO MERIT

10.Business & Finance Journalist of the Year– English Winner: Madhusha Thavapalakumar– The Sunday Morning Merit: No merit

11.Prof. Kailasapathy Award for Best News or Feature using RTI– Sinhala Winner: Mithun Jayawardhana- Mawbima Merit: No merit

12. Prof. Kailasapathy Award for Best News or Feature using RTI– Tamil Winner: Karuppaiya Prasannakumar- Thinakkural Merit:– S. Sivakumaran- Virakesari and A.A.M. Rifthi Ali- Thamilan

13. Prof. Kailasapathy Award for Best News or Feature using RTI– English Winner: Namini Nimilamalee Wijedasa– The Sunday Times Merit: No merit

14.B. A. Siriwardena Columnist of the Year– Sinhala Winner: Shirley Anil De Silva– Lankadeepa Daily Merit: No merit

15. B. A. Siriwardena Columnist of the Year– Tamil Winner: S. Sivakumaran- Virakesari Merit: No merit

16. B. A. Siriwardena Columnist of the Year– English Winner: No submission Merit: No submission

17.Subramaniam Chettiar Award for Reporting on Social Issues– Single Award Winner: Kamanthi Wickramasinghe– Daily Mirror Merit: R. Ramkumar- Virakesari and Illeperuma Arachchige Don Nadira Kumari Gunatilleke– Daily News

18.Upali Wijewardene Feature Writer of the Year– Sinhala Winner: Harsha Sugathadasa– Divaina Sunday Merit: No merit

19. Upali Wijewardene Feature Writer of the Year– Tamil Winner: Hassthani Radhakrishnan- Virakesari Merit: Kamil Asmy Mohamed Shabeer- Vidivelli and R. Ramkumar Virakesari

20. Upali Wijewardene Feature Writer of the Year– English Winner: Tharushi Weerasinghe– The Sunday Times Merit: No merit

21.Investigative Journalist of the Year– Single Award Winner: Namini Nimilamalee Wijedasa– The Sunday Times Merit: No merit

22.Scoop of the Year– Single Award Winner: No award Merit: No award

23.Denzil Peiris Young Reporter of the Year– Single Award Winner: Jayakody Arachchige Senuka Thiyasara Jayakody– The Sunday Times Merit: No merit

24.Best Environmental Reporter of the Year– Sinhala Winner: Kanahara Arachchige Jagath Kumara Kanahara- Arachchi Merit: No merit

25. Best Environmental Reporter of the Year– Tamil Winner: R. Ramkumar- Virakesari Merit: No merit

26. Best Environmental Reporter of the Year– English Winner: Kasun Chethana Gamage Warakapitiya– The Sunday Times Merit: No merit

27.Best Designed Newspaper of the Year– Sinhala Winner: Deshaya Merit: NO MERIT

28. Best Designed Newspaper of the Year– Tamil Winner: No winner JMerit: Virakesari weekly and Thinakkural

29. Best Designed Newspaper of the Year– English Winner: Asitha Rathnayake- SUNDAY TIMES Merit: No merit

30. Cartoonist of the Year– Sinhala Winner: Awantha Artigala– Sunday Lankedeepa Merit: No merit

31. Cartoonist of the Year– Tamil Winner: Namal Amarasinghe– Tamil Mirror Merit: No merit

32. Cartoonist of the Year– English Winner: Awantha Artigala– Daily Mirror Merit: No merit

33.Photojournalist of the Year:- Single Award Winner: Kankanam Pathirana Pradeep– Daily Mirror Merit: Saman Kumara Abesiriwardana– Sathi Aga Aruna

Online Newspapers

34.Best Designed News Website– Sinhala Winner: lankadeepa.lk Merit: NO MERIT

35. Best Designed News Website– Tamil Winner: virakesari.lk Merit: thamilan.lk and tamilmirror.lk

36. Best Designed News Website– English Winner: ft.lk Merit: dailymirror.lk and themorning.lk

37. Best Video Story-telling– Sinhala Winner: NO AWARD Merit: NO MERIT

38. Best Video Story-telling– Tamil Winner: VIRAKESARI DIGITAL Merit: LOGESWARAN SELVARAJA- Virakesari and LUCIAS- Virakesari

39. Best Video Story-telling– English Winner: G.M. LAHIRU CHAMARA DOLOSWALA Merit: NO MERIT

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News

Rs 1. 3 bn yahapalana building deal under investigation

Published

13 hours ago

2025/12/12

Thilina Walpola

Jayasinghe building

Several ex-Cabinet ministers questioned; Ranil, Sajith, too likely to be summoned

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has initiated an inquiry into the shifting of the Agriculture Ministry situated at Rajamalwatte, to a building belonging to the D. P. Jayasinghe Group of Companies, at Rajagiriya, during the Yahapalana government.

The building was rented for a five-year period at a cost of over Rs 1 bn by the yahapalana government within months after the then President Maithripala Sirisena declared opened the 10-storey building complex.

The CIABOC yesterday morning recorded former yahapalana minister Gayantha Karunatilleke’s statement in connection with the investigation. Later in the day, CIABOC recorded the statement of SJB General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabanadara. Earlier CIABOC summoned former ministers Thalatha Atukorale, Wajira Abeywardena and Lakshman Kiriella. At the time of the finalisation of the deal, KIriella was in the UNP.

Sources said that former PM and President Ranil Wickremesinghe, too, was likely to be questioned in this regard. Responding to The Island queries, sources pointed out even SJB leader Sajith Premadasa was expected to be questioned.

The then Speaker Karu Jayasuriya is on record as having said that the building was rented in keeping with a decision taken by the government and not Parliament.

The UNP-SLFP coalition shifted the Agriculture Ministry to accommodate 16 Sectoral Oversight Committees therein.

Although the government paid as much as Rs. 21.5 mn monthly rent to D.P.A. Jayasinghe Company, the Agriculture Ministry failed to move in for over a year. The then Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake sought Cabinet approval on Dec 1, 2015 to rent the building.

According to inquiries conducted earlier by the Presidential Commission appointed to probe state sector corruption, the Agriculture Ministry sought Cabinet approval for a new building after the then Prime Minister Wickremesinghe submitted a cabinet proposal on 21 September, 2015, to use the Agriculture Ministry building for Parliament’s sectoral oversight committees.

PM Wickremesinghe’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake has told the Commission that public funds could have been saved if the several vacant floors of Suhurupaya belonging to the Defence Ministry had been made available to the Agriculture Ministry.

By Shamindra Ferdinando ✍️

News

SL Railways suffers staggering losses; more than 2/3 of rail tracks out of service

Published

13 hours ago

2025/12/12

Thilina Walpola

Army personnel engaged in repairing damaged railway tracks in the Boo Oya area. Cyclone Ditwah caused extensive damage to railway tracks in several parts of the country (pic courtesy Army)

Railway sources said that the damages caused to railway tracks could be more than USD 300 mn.

According to UNDP Rapid Crisis Assessment Sri Lanka’s railroad system, over 278 km of railways were exposed to cyclone-related flooding, including 35 railroad bridges nationwide. This figure reflects flooding only, but other hazards (such as localised debris, landslides, or damage to a single bridge) can also disrupt operations, meaning that even relatively small obstructions can render long stretches of railway non-operational. Like road exposure, railway exposure limits mobility and the capacity of affected populations to access key services and infrastructure.

At the level of divisional secretariats, Colombo and Thimbirigasyaya in Colombo District, Ja Ela in Gampaha District, as well as Mannar Town and Nanaddan in Mannar District all registered over 10 km of exposed railways each.

Commissioner-General of Essential Services B.K. Prabath Chandrakeerthi is on record as having said that only 478 kilometers of Sri Lanka’s 1,593-km railway network were currently usable following extensive damage caused by the recent cyclone.

News

US, SL advancing free, open, and resilient Indo-Pacific region: Embassy

Published

13 hours ago

2025/12/12

Thilina Walpola

Allison Hooker

Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker arrived in Colombo yesterday (11) to underscore US interest in defence, trade and maritime security in line with their Indo-Pacific strategy.

The US embassy here issued the following statement: “Under Secretary Hooker will meet with Sri Lankan counterparts to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues, focused on deepening economic and commercial ties, strengthening defence cooperation, and supporting Sri Lanka’s economic and maritime sovereignty.

The United States and Sri Lanka share a strong and enduring partnership rooted in our mutual commitment to regional security, economic growth, and prosperity for our peoples. Through close cooperation on defence, trade, and maritime security, we are working together to advance a free, open, and resilient Indo-Pacific region.

As we continue to build on our strategic partnership, the United States also stands with the people of Sri Lanka as they respond to the devastating impacts of Cyclone Ditwah. We remain committed to working together to address both immediate challenges and long-term opportunities for our two nations, reflecting our ongoing commitment to the U.S.-Sri Lanka partnership.”