MY FAVORITE AUTHOR

 

            Martin Wickramasinghe was one of the most prominent Sri Lankan writers of all times. He was born in 1890 in a village in Southern Sri Lanka, Koggala. It is said that the landscape of this place, where he had spent his childhood was what inspired most of his novels and stories.

At the age of five Wickramasinghe was taught the Sinhala alphabet, at home and in the village temple, by a monk, Andiris Gurunnanse. After two years he was taken to a vernacular school where he was sent to an English school in Galle called Buona vista. In the two years spent at the school Wickramasinghe become fluent in English as well as Latin. When his father died, he returned to a vernacular school in Ahangama and subsequently lost interest in schooling.

Martin Wickramasinghe has written literature books, short stories and novels.

Novels

Leela   (1914)

Soma  (1920)

Irangani (1923)

Seetha (1923)

Miringu Diya (1925)

Unmada Chithra (1929)

Rohini   (1929)

 

Short stories

Geheniyak  ( A woman ) (1924)

Magul Gedara ( The wedding ) (1927)

Pavkarayata Galgasima (1936)

Apuru Muhuna (1944)

 

Honors and Awards

Appointed Member of the Radio Broadcasting Commission – 1953

Awarded a Honorary PHD by the Vidyodaya University – 1960

Awarded a DLitt by the University Of Ceylon – 1963

Awarded a DLitt by the University Of Ceylon, Colombo – 1970

Awarded a DLitt by Vidyalankara University  – 1964

He died in 1976 and he has remained one of the most known and widely recognized Sri Lankan authors. His work has been translated in several languages such as English, Russian, Tamil, Hindi, Dutch and German, French and Japan, among others. There is no question that the legacy that this writer has left for his culture will be remembered for much more time from now to come.