‘Advertisements in Sinhala Newspapers: Origin and Evolution’

The scholastic publication titled: “Sinhala Puwathpath Velenda Danveema Arambaya Ha Vikashanaya” (The Origin and Evolution of Advertisements in sinhala newspapers) authored by Dr. Nihal Ranjith Jayathilake, an Assistant General Manager of the People’s Bank, author and Freelance journalist, will be launched at 4.00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 27, at the Auditorium of the Sri Lanka National Library Services Board, Nidahas Mawatha, Colombo 7. The book has been spawned conjoining the research thesis compiled by Nihal Ranjith for his Ph.D. Degree awarded by the University of Sri Jayawardenapura.

In compiling the book, 77 mainstream Sinhala newspapers from Lanka Lokaya published in 1860 and considered as the first Sinhala newspaper in the country and functions of the D. R. Wijewardene’s Dinamina newspaper up to the year 1916 (56 years), have been comprehensively scrutinised to pragmatise the contents in an explicit manner.

Dr. Jayathilake says that this book subsumes an investigatory study pertinent to socio-economic trends that impacted upon the Sinhala newspaper advertisements, very early English newspaper advertisements that paved the way for advertisements to appear in Sinhala newspapers, contents and structural features of the mainstream Sinhala newspaper advertisements, during the 1860 - 1916 era.

“The Origin and Evolution of Advertisements in Sinhala Newspapers” is a Sarasavi publication.