News

Five Senior Journalists Honored at 25th Journalism Awards for Excellence

Published

12 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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Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya

Published

6 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

The Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya for the next 24 hours commencing at 1200hrs today [08]

Accordingly
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Ududumbara in the Kandy District, Wilgamuwa in the Matale District, and Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya District.

LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Meegahakiwula, Welimada, Kandaketiya, Lunugala, Badulla, Passara, Uva Paranagama and Hali_Ela in the Badulla District, Ambanganga Korale in the Matale District, and Mathurata and Hanguranketha in the Nuwara Eliya District.

Latest News

Warning for deep depression over South-east Bay of Bengal Sea area

Published

12 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

Deep depression Track. [Source: RSMC]

Warning for deep depression over South-east Bay of Bengal Sea area.
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre, Department of Meteorology at 10.30 a.m. on 08 January 2026 for the period until 10.30 a.m. 09 January 2026

The depression in the Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka has intensified into a deep depression and is centered near latitude 5.4°N and longitude 85.3°E, about 420 km southeast of Pottuvil at 05.30 a.m. today (08th). The above system is currently (10:00 a.m.) located about 300 km southeast of Pottuvil.

It is very likely to move west-northwestwards across the southwest Bay of Bengal and cross the Sri Lanka coast between Hambantota and Kalmunai between 5.30 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. on Friday [9th January 2026].

Hence, showery, and windy condition over the island, particularly in the Northern, NorthCentral, Eastern, Uva and Central provinces is expected to enhance from today (08th).

For the Land area:

DAMAGE EXPECTED:
• Damage to huts, temporary shelters and light structures
• Destroy the roof tops/ sheets etc.
• Damage to power and communication lines.
• Breaking of tree branches and uprooting of large avenue trees.
• Damage to paddy crops, banana, papaya trees and orchards.
• Damage to harbor yachts
• Flash flood
• Sea water inundation in low lying areas in the near coast.

Action suggested for the Land area:
• Coastal hutment dwellers are advised to move to safer places. Other people in the affected areas to remain indoors.
• People living in hilly areas (particularly landslide prone areas) and low lying areas in river basins are requested to be vigilant.
• Drivers and people using roads in the hilly areas are requested to be vigilant.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• General public is requested to be vigilant regarding impending extreme weather situation.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
• Requested to be attentive about future advisories issued by the Department of Meteorology in this regard.

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Showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces and showers about 50-75 mm in other areas

Published

17 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 08 JANUARY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 08 January 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

The depression over the Bay of Bengal, located to the southeast of Sri Lanka, was centered near latitude 5.3°N and longitude 86.0°E, about 490 km southeast of Pottuvil, at 11:30 p.m. yesterday (07). It is expected to move west-northwestwards and towards the eastern coast of the island during next 24 hours. This system is likely to intensify further into a deep depression during the next 12 hours.

Cloudy skies can be expected over most parts of the island.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Uva, Central and Southern provinces. Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places elsewhere in the Island after 1.00 p.m. Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces. Fairly Heavy showers about (50 – 75) mm are likely at some places in the other areas of the island.

Strong winds about (50-60) kmph can be expected at times over the Eastern slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Eastern provinces and in Hambantota, Gampaha, Colombo and Monaragala districts.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.