Sunday Observer 80th Anniversary:

Eighty years in print

by Ranga Chandrarathne

The Sunday Observer, Sri Lanka's English newspaper with the largest circulation will celebrate its 80th Anniversary, tomorrow. The Observer as it was known then was founded on 4th February 1928.

The paper started as the Sunday Observer and Commercial Advertiser on 4th February, 1834. Among the British who served as the Editors of The Observer were E. J. Darley who was in charge when the paper was launched, George Winter, Dr. Christopher Elliott, A. M. Ferguson (1859), John Ferguson (1867), R. H. Ferguson, Charles Tower, C. Drieberg (1923-1924), P. B. Marshall and J. D. Quirk.

When it was taken over by a generation of Sri Lankan Editors who were on par with their English predecessors, they carried on the legacy, inspiring and educating the generation of readers from all walks of life. One of the significant aspects of the English press was that it was read by the academia, artists, political elite, the members of the judiciary, business tycoons and the English educated civil servants and teachers.

The Sri Lankan Editors, H. A. J. Hulugalle (1930-1931), H. D. Jansz (1931-1952), Tarzi Vittachchi (1953-1961), Denzil Peiris (1961-1970), Ernest Corea (1970-1973), Lionel Fernando (1973-1977), Harold Peiris (1977-1988), Leslie Dahanayake (1988-1990), H. L. D. Mahindapala (1990-1994), Lakshman Gunasekara, Jayatilleke de Silva, Rajpal Abenayake also adhered to the highest standards of journalism and editorial integrity.

Although a host of rival publications emerged into the newspaper arena over the years, the Sunday Observer retains it undisputed position as the most widely read English weekly in Sri Lanka.

The readership is more than the circulation of printed papers given the large number of readers of the Sunday Observer web edition which has become an essential read among the expatriate Sri Lankan community.

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