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Dharmasiri changed the language of Sinhala cinema – Uyangoda
by Prasanna Cooray
Speaking at a cremony to felicitate vetran filmmaker Dharmasiri Bandaranayake, at the Tharangani auditorium, National Film Corporation, Colombo 7, recently, Prof. Jayadeva Uyangoda said Dharmasiri had changed the language of Sinhala cinema.
At the event, titled “Rebel Creativity”, Bandaranayake received an honorary doctorate from the University of Ruhuna and the lifetime medal from the University of Manchester, UK for his outstanding contribution towards arts and peace in Sri Lanka
Calling Dharmasiri as a post Bourgeois artist, Prof. Uyangoda noted a striking difference between his drama and cinema. “While his drama was high in post Bourgeois characteristics in cinema it was subtle”. Uyangoda said Dharmasiri’s “Hansa Vilak” was one fo the best Sri Lankan films.
Born in 1949 in Wadduwa, Dharmasiri Bandaranayake cut his teeth on stage drama in the early 70s and on the cinema in 1977. Apart from “Hansa vilak”, he created “Thunveni Yamaya”, “Bhava Duka” and “Bhava Karma”. His plays “Eka adipathi”, “Makarakshaya”, “Dhawala Beeshana” and “Trojan kanthawo” are famous for political satire and controversy.
Prof. Mahesan Nirmalan, deputy Dean, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester University, UK presented the lifetime medal to Dharmasiri on behalf of the Vice Chancellor of the university.
Speaking of Dharmasiri’s contribution to art and peace in Sri Lanka, Prof. Nirmalan said, “Through art Dharmasiri brought the peace landscape of Sri Lanka to a different level”. Nirmalan said Dharmasiri had stood for what was right and championed ethnic harmony.
Prof. S. Mawnuguru, former Acting Vice Chancellor Eastern University spoke of Dharmasiri’s contribution towards taking the peace message through drama to the war-stricken north and east of the country. He identified Dharmasiri as a friend of Tamil people.
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Members of the National Student Parliament meet PM
Members of the National Student Parliament met Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on Monday [02nd of February] at Temple Trees.
The representatives of the National Student Parliament, representing schools from across the island, visited the Temple Trees following their visit to the Presidential Secretariat and the Parliament.
Expressing her views on the occasion, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated,
“The new education reforms were recently initiated starting from Grade One. Discussions are currently underway to include students entering Grade Six this year into the new education reform process in the future. The education reforms will not be halted, and the government is committed to implementing them in a systematic manner without shortcomings”.
She further noted that the reforms are being carried out under five main pillars, with the government’s key objective being to reduce disparities and provide children with quality education, while also nurturing a socially responsible community enriched with human values such as compassion, love for the environment, and a strong sense of civic responsibility.
The occasion was attended by the Deputy Director of Education Kasun Gunarathne, along with officials from the Ministry of Education and representatives of the National Student Parliament.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by the Prime Minister in her capacity as the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education to implement a project for supplying aesthetic equipment for the promotion of aesthetic education in schools under an estimated cost of Rs. 1,215 million during the period of 2026 to 2028.
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