Gunadasa Amarasekara

Gunadasa Amarasekara
Born (1929-11-12) 12 November 1929
Galle District, Sri Lanka
EducationMahinda College, Galle
Nalanda College Colombo
University of Ceylon
OccupationDental Surgeon
Known forShort story writing, poetry

Gunadasa Amarasekera (born 12 November 1929) is a prominent Sinhala writer, poet, and essayist from Sri Lanka.[1][2]

Early life and education

Gunadasa Amarasekera was born in Yattalamatta in Galle District. He was educated at Mahinda College, Galle and Nalanda College Colombo.[3][4][5]

In the early 1950s, his short story “Soma” was selected to represent Ceylon in a world short story competition organized by the New York Herald Tribune. It was published in the collection of World Prize Stories in 1952.[6]

Dr Amarasekara was presented with the Nalanda Keerthi Sri award in 2010 by his alma mater Nalanda College, Colombo.[7][8][9]

Amarasekera is a graduate of University of Ceylon and is a Dental Surgeon by profession. He is one of the founding fathers of the Peradeniya school of literary tradition of modern Sri Lankan literature.[10]

Publications

A list of literary works of Amarasekara,[11]

Novels

  • Karumakkarayo (1953)
  • Yali Upannemi (1960)
  • Gandhabba Apadanaya (1969)
  • Asathya Kathawak (1981)
  • Premaye Sathya Kathawa (1983)
  • Gamanaka Mula (1988)
  • Gamdoren Eliyata (1990)
  • Vanka Giriyaka (1992)
  • Inimaga Ehalata (1992)
  • Yali Maga Wetha (1993)
  • Duru Rataka Dukata Kiriyaka (1999)

Short stories

  • Rathu Rosa Mala (1950)
  • Jeevana Suwanda (1957)
  • Ekama Kathawa (1972)
  • Katha Pahak (1975)
  • Gal Pilimaya Saha Bol Pilimaya (1989)
  • Marana Manchakaye Dutu Sihinaya (1993)

Poems

  • Bhaavageeta(1952)
  • Uyanaka Hinda Litu Kavi (1957)
  • Amal Bisso (1958)
  • Gurulu Watha (1972)
  • Avarjana (1972)
  • Asak Da Kava (2003)

Plays

  • Pavuru Padanam (1970)
  • Kavhandayaka Kathandaraya (1991)

Literary criticism

  • Vicharaya Saha Vinodaya (1951)
  • Aliya Saha Andayo (1966)
  • Abuddassa Yugayak (1976)
  • Anagarika Dharmapala Marxvaadida? (1980)
  • Ganaduru Madiyama Dakinemi Arunalu (1988)
  • Arunaluseren Arunodhyata (1991)
  • Jathika Chinthanaya saha Jaathika Aarthikaya (1993)
  • Sinhala Kawya Sampradaya (1996)

References

  1. ^ Martin Wickramasinghe and modern Sinhala poetry
  2. ^ January 8th election win a revolution or a conspiracy?
  3. ^ "Henry Jayasena 'A gifted and decent human being….'". island. 2007. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  4. ^ "In memory of Henry Jayasena". island. 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  5. ^ Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara nominated for Nalanda Keerthi Sri 2010
  6. ^ "The South Asian Literary Recording Project". Library of Congress. 11 January 2016.
  7. ^ Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara nominated for Nalanda Keerthi Sri 2010
  8. ^ Nalanda Keerthi Sri
  9. ^ Effervescent thespian
  10. ^ "A novelist can't detach from society" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  11. ^ Gunawardana, C. A. (2005). Encyclopedia of Sri Lanka (revised). New Delhi: Sterlin Publishers Privet Limited. p. 13. ISBN 9781932705485.