Title: Patra Kala Kau Silumina
Editor: Senior Professor Samantha Herath
Genre: Felicitation Volume
Publisher: Sarasavi Bookshop
Allow me to pronounce at the outset that Patra Kala Kau Silumina is a proficient edition. Senior Professor Samantha Herath edits it and felicitates Tilakaratna Kuruvita Bandara, depicting him as a creative and committed writer. This characterisation applies to his newspaper writings and his creative literary works. Before becoming a serious newspaper person, he authored literary works.
Initially, he was a short story writer, publishing a volume titled Vicharakayo in 1962. Subsequently, he became a poet, with his first collection titled ‘Nilla Dakkinai’ in 1963 and his last in 2005 named ‘Aeak Samayekhee’. He also contributed as a music composer, with some pieces sung by renowned artists such as Pandit Amaradeva, Nanda Malini, Victor Ratnayake, and others, including compositions for films by his brother, Professor Sunil Ariyaratne. He also penned opera scripts for Master Premasiri Khemadasa, who produced and directed them.
Another significant recognition bestowed upon him is that some of his poems have been edited and translated into English, appearing in foreign university magazines and other publications. The authors of these translations include Prof. Ranjini Obeysekera, Chitra Fernando, who was associated with the Daily News, Professor Yasmin Gooneratne, Marian Grind, Prof. D. C. R. A. Gunathilake, and Prof. Rajiv Wijesinghe.
Patra Kala Kau Silumina is responsibly and proficiently edited, rich in material, and meaningfully carries a robust mission. Primarily, Kuruvita Bandara has been a dedicated and uniquely innovative news editor, capturing the hearts of open-minded readers. He served twice as the Chief Editor of Silumina and later as the overall chief supervising Editor of all Sinhala newspapers and journals produced at Lake House Publications, namely Dinamina, Sarasaviya, and Navaugaya.
Before the aforementioned successful indications of his involvement in literary and journalistic achievements, he worked in Dinamina for 23 years in various capacities. Subsequently, he served as the Deputy Editor of the same paper. His experiences in the iconic newspaper trade were vast, as he had the privilege of working under great newspaper personalities of his time.
Afterwards, he not only served as the Chief Editor of Silumina twice and the overall Supervising Editor of other Sinhala publications, but he also served as the Chief Editor of Sarasaviya and Navaugaya. He introduced novel approaches and worked creatively to enhance the quality of these publications, resulting in a fantastic increase in sales. His credit lies in being very creative, dedicated, and self-motivated, attributes that were not confined to his role as a news editor but also extended to his talent in literary writing, significantly contributing to enhancing news quality.
Before Kuruvita Bandara’s dedication to working in newspapers, he was a creative writer of short stories, poetry, music compositions, and operatic creations and an excellent public speaker. His passion for writing began at 15 when he wrote “Api Okkama,” referring to all his brothers and sisters. This illustrates his keen interest in writing from a young age, considering he was the eldest in the family.
The felicitation volume contains 34 evaluations that are qualitatively vivid and rich. Each evaluation is prominent and not inferior to the others, showcasing Kuruvita Bandara’s vivacity in writing with literary depth. They exhibit novelty and total originality, making them essential readings for those keen on understanding the importance of Kuruvita Bandara as a newspaper and scholastic writer. During his tenure at Lake House, he was recruited by Esmond Wickramasinghe, who purchased the Virakesari press and started several other publications. Lassana was a popular paper at that time, where Kuruvita Bandara worked, efficiently introducing novelties and artistic imaginative innovations.
Currently, he is at SLBC, working and editing Handa (Voice). Before joining SLBC, he served as the Editor of several Sunday newspapers after retiring from Lake House, including Iru Dina and Maubima. Noteworthy is his original and novel approach in whatever institution or place he has been associated with. Despite his involvement in literary pursuits, he continues to contribute actively.
In conclusion, I wish to highlight the article by Samanlatha Menike Adikari, which provides a comprehensive list of Kuruvita Bandara’s writings. The list runs to 921 articles until the day of the publication of the Felicitation Volume.
Dr. Namel Weeramuni