M. D. Gunasena ready to face future challenges

Known as the largest bookshop in the country for generations M.D. Gunasena and Company is further consolidating its position to face the challenges of the future.

Publishing Manager Jayampathy Rajakaruna said "when we started we were a monopoly, now there are competitors and we compete with them on quality".

"Our key strength is quality which we have maintained for generations and we will never compromise it in the future," he said.

He said that among their future plans are translating books on Sri Lankan culture, history, cookery ayurveda and Buddhism and marketing them internationally. Among the books planned for translation are the Dinamina Cookery book and launching it as a Coffee table book and the "Pansiya Panas Jathakaya".

At present the only book printed by us and available internationally is the Last Kingdom of Sinhalay by Capt. Elmo Jayawardene.

To give our readers value for money and to get them interested in reading we have started two projects in schools while we are planning to start four more in the future.

At present people are not interested in literature because it has not been communicated to them properly. Therefore the Ministry of Education requested us to develop a program to stimulate an interest among children in literature. The two programs are "Lama Lova Lassanai" and " Saahithya Kandatha" which are gaining popularity, he said.

The bookshop started operations in 1922 as the second largest bookshop in the world and shifted to its present premises in 1963. The first book printed by the company was " Lama Kav Maldama" At present we do about 250-300 reprints and 50 new books annually. The bookshop has 17 branches, 40 agents and employ a staff of 240 to meet the demand of book lovers.

The company has also branched into the hospitality industry by launching the travel arm Destinations.

M. D. Gunasena Finance and Investments Ltd (MDGFIL) is engaged in financial services, plantation management, agro business, export of agro produce, agro biotechnology, perennial crop development, export agro crop development, property development and value added products.

The Oasis International School which opened in 2001 also comes under the MD Gunasena Group. The school started with 13 children and now we have over 600 children, said a spokesman for the school.

Identifying the need for professionally trained and skilled student centred teachers The M. D. Gunasena School of Teacher Training was set up as an arm of M. D. Gunasena and Company Ltd. The one-year diploma course is designed to prepare teachers to teach the national and British syllabus in the English medium using effective teaching skills.

(S.G.)