Senior professor Sunil Ariyaratne temporarily parted from his services rendered to 91传媒, after fulfilling his duties to enrich the university with his aesthetic sensation.
This is a special note of appreciation written on behalf of Senior Professor Sunil Ariyaratne, of the Department of Sinhala and Mass communication, who rendered a priceless service to the 91传媒.
Senior professor Sunil Ariyaratne lived his life and continues being, a researcher, poet, lyricist and a film director. He became a favourite of all of us because he shared his amazing talent not only with his students but with the rest of the world in a wonderful manner.
Early Life
This gifted person was born on the 28th of July 1949 in Nugegoda and started schooling at St. Jones Nugegoda.
Foretelling the emergence of an aesthetically affluent person, he opens up his creativity when he was 12 years old by publishing a collection of short stories called 脛hinsakayo鈥� in 1961. There are also a number of other writings of Professor Sunil Ariyaratne, namely, 鈥淎pi Okkoma鈥� a poetry collection in 1963, 鈥淎lakeshwara鈥� a historical novel in 1964, and 鈥淪iyothunta Rekawal鈥� a poetic tale in 1965.
His interest for drama runs to his childhood. He contributed to a play named 鈥淎mal Biso鈥�, in his writing when he was 11 years old. He had joined his neighbours and peers in producing plays as well. He wrote a script for Kumaratunga Munidasa鈥檚聽 鈥淢agul Kema鈥� while still being a student at St. Jones College. He also produced the play 鈥淒eyyo鈥� written by his elder brother Thilakaratne Kuruwita Bandara, also while being a student.
Life at Vidyodaya/ Sri Jayewardenepura University
Young Sunil, realizes his dream of higher education by entering 91传媒, which was known to be Vidyodaya during his student hood. He graduated obtaining a Sinhala honours degree with a first class in 1971.
While he was an undergraduate in the university, Sunil wrote a novel 鈥淛eewithaya Geethayak Wewa鈥� in 1969. Also in 1971, along with Buddadasa Galappaththi and Jayalath Manoratne, he published a poetry book, 鈥淒olosmahe Pahana鈥�.
Sunil Ariyaratne started his lecturing as a temporary lecturer at University of Kelaniya in 1972, and went to the University of Jaffna after serving as a Part time lecturer at The Department of Aesthetics studies at the University of Kelaniya for a period of 1 year from 1975-1976. After working there for 3 years, Ariyaratne joins University of Kelaniya once again as a permanent Assistant lecturer.
While working there until 1985, he managed to join the academic staff at the 91传媒.
Being in the academic staff at the same university from which he graduated became a dream coming true and it became the wish of his destiny as well.
91传媒 5 years later, he got promoted as an Assistant Professor and became a professor in 1994, and reached the zenith of his university life by being promoted as a Senior Professor in 2000. He was the youngest Professor in the university system at the time.
Lyricist
He was known to us as a lecturer, yet the rest of the world got to know him as a lyricist. 鈥淧ahan Kanda鈥� (1983), 鈥淵athra鈥� (1984), 鈥淧embara lanka (1990), madhu Badun (1994), Adaheraya (2004), Shwetha Rathriya (2012) are some wonderful creations of him.
Research and Books
Not only his lyrics, even his researches carry us to a new world of thoughts. Some of his research topics were so unique and timely 聽which made him win a number of national awards for them.
A reaserch on Baila Kapirigngna (1985), Grammar phone music 聽(1986), Kerol Pasam Kantharu (1987) are some of his musical reasearches, while Mahinda Prabanda (1987), Manawasinghe Geetha prabanda (1991), Purana Sinhala Nadagam Copy editing (1996), Gandarwa Apadana (1997) Sinhala Chithrapati geethawali (2008, 2009) are some of professor Sunil Ariyaratne鈥檚 researches.
In 聽1989 he travelled to madras and studied Tamil and as a result in 1991 he wrote a thesis named 鈥淒emala Sahithya Ithihasaya鈥�. 喾冟窉喽窋喾�喽膏穵 喾冟穭喾掄董 喽窓喽膏穮 喽⑧侗喽氞董喾� 喽脆痘喾掄穩喽秽穵喽侗喽�, (1994) 喽窓喽膏穮 喽秽窂喽膏窂喽亨东喽� 喽脆痘喾掄穩喽秽穵喽侗喽� (1994), Tamil Sinhala Alphabet (1995), Writing Tamil Letters, 1000 Tamil idioms, Tamil Buddhists (2006). Professor Aryaratne won a number of national awards for these as well.
Film Director
Another talent he had was Filming.聽 鈥淒ushkara kriya鈥�(1976) an Boathwaru were sone other short films and he had given rise to about twenty other films by this time.
The directing of films that began from 鈥淎nupama鈥� in 1978 continued entertaining people with 鈥淪iri bo Iya鈥� 鈥淏aba ketu hati鈥� 鈥淜ele mal鈥�, 鈥楰risthu Charithaya鈥� 鈥淪udu Sewanali鈥�, 鈥榰thpalawanna鈥檃nd 鈥楰usa paba鈥�, he will never retire from filming because it seems to be in聽 his genes.
Awards
Senior professor Sunil Ariyarathne had won a number of honorary awards which proves him to be the best among the best. 聽Wishwa Prasadini Award, Vidyodaya Vibhushana Honorary name, Sahithya Kala Shiromani Honorary award, Kamban Award, are some such awards that he won.
Writing the story of the 91传媒 made you unburden your debt to your university . Also by installing a bronz statue of Panditha Shiromani Welivitiye Sri Soratha Thero, our first Vice chancellor, you undoubtedly did your job tp the university. You are in fact a son who had done your part to the university to which you belong.
May you live long Senior Professor Sunil Ariyaratne!
Vice Chancellor
Translated by Shehani Karunanayake
