Pioneers of Sinhala journalism

Dinamina, one of the oldest Sinhala newspapers in Sri Lanka, has completed 100 years amidst numerous political changes and social upheavals. Although many readers are familiar with the origin and expansion of the Dinamina over the tumultuous years, only a very few of them know any information about the celebrated personalities who edited it.

In this respect Indika Kudahetti deserves praise for his initiative to collect information about the editors and present it for posterity.

Martin Wickramasinghe	Piyasena Nissanka

Dinamina was the first newspaper I read as a child in the mid-1940s. I was so fascinated by the news and features that I too wanted to be a journalist. It took nearly five decades for me to become a journalist. Although I could not join the Dinamina editorial at any stage, I started my career as an English journalist when the Upali Newspapers was launched in the 1980s. But I owe an immense gratitude to the Dinamina for awakening the journalist in me.

Until I read this book I did not know the biographical information of any of the Dinamina editors. In the past, readers hardly knew even the names of newspaper editors. Most editors wrote under a pseudonym and they never published their own photographs in their newspapers. As a result, most readers did not know who they were. As a child I had a vague feeling that newspaper editors were big made men who wore full European suit with a top hat! After finding a foothold in the newspaper world I was proved wrong. They were ordinary men with extraordinary brains!

The Dinamina was launched on December 17, 1909. The name was given by the Most Ven. Ratmalane Dharmakeerthi Sri Dharmarama Nayaka Thera who was the principal of Vidyalankara Pirivena Peliyagoda. The founder editor was H. S. Perera who was a seasoned journalist at the time. The maiden issue of Dinamina had four pages and was priced at three cents. That was the humble beginning of the Dinamina.

G. S. Perera

Unlike other professions, most newspaper editors do not stick to one organisation. They shift their loyalties from time to time. This is true with the Dinamina as well. For instance, due to unforeseen circumstances the ownership of the Dinamina was passed on to D. R. Wijewardene.

Going through the book I noted that except for a few personalities, most of the editors had served for very short periods ranging from one to five years. Alexander Velivita who served as editor from 1924-1935 was an eminent journalist hand-picked by D. R. Wijewardene. It is said that he never allowed anybody else to write the editorial for the Dinamina.

Piyasena Nissanka was the longest serving editor of Dinamina. Altogether he looked after Dinamina for 17 years under D. R. Wijewardene. He was always well dressed and he came very close to my image of an editor. Having joined Lake House as a translator, Piyasena Nissanka worked as a reporter and later became the founder editor of the Silumina in 1930. The Silumina became the Sunday Sinhala weekly with the largest circulation. He also founded two Sinhala weeklies: Subasetha and Budusarana.

Next comes Martin Wickramasinghe who served as the editor of the Dinamina for 13 years. Like his predecessor, he was also a translator, feature writer and a multi-faceted personality. He is also remembered today as a great author. He was fortunate to have been the editor during the golden age of the Dinamina.

G. S. Perera was the last person who served as the editor of the Dinamina for a little more than a decade. After graduating from Peradeniya University, he joined the Dinamina as a sub editor. Under the able guidance of Piyasena Nissanka, he became an indispensable journalist during his time. While W. G. Gunaratne and I were compiling and editing the 'Tenth Parliament of Sri Lanka', G. S. Perera was editing the Sinhala version of the same publication. Being a man of high principles, he still serves the newspaper world in various capacities.

The services rendered by those who served for shorter periods cannot be underestimated. They were compelled to move on to other newspapers as a result of political changes and administrative decisions. However, Indika Kudahetti has given them equal prominence in the book. Due to his effort today we can read all about the pioneers of Sinhala journalism in one volume.