Arts Council of Sri Lanka
Literary Advisory Board

State Literary Advisory Board of the Arts Council of Sri Lanka is established for the purpose of advising and assisting the Arts council on the general advancement of the literary art forms and to support the excellence, diversity and vitality of Sri Lankan literature in the languages of Sinhala, Tamil and English so that the public can experience the highest standard of literary art forms, in Sri Lanka.

Literature Panel of the Arts Council of Sri Lanka recognizes the importance of the promotion of the work by Sri Lankan writers both nationally and internationally to ensure Sri Lanka is recognized for its great writers and its quality contemporary writing.

 

Objectives of the Establishment of State Literary Advisory Board.

Principal role of this panel is to take action for the advancement of the literary work in all the three languages Sinhala, Tamil and English and conservation and development of literary work, Various programmes are annually implemented  in order to achieve this objective.

  • Holding State Literary Awards festival.
  • Conducting lectures on literature in various parts of the island in order to enable school children and the public to appreciate literature.
  • Conducting literary workshops in various parts of the island for promoting people’s appreciation of literary of short stories, novels, songs and poetry.
  • Editing and publication of “Sahityaya” magazine. This magazine is published quarterly embodying article from scholars. Special literary volume is concurrently published to mark the state literary festival.

Structure of the State Literary Advisory Board

  • Sinhala Literary Panel
  • Tamil Literary Panel
  • English Literary Panel

State Literary Advisory board which had 3 panels from 1957, now functions as a  single Panel from 2004.

 

State Literary Awards Results

State Literary Awards Results – 2013

State Literary Awards Results – 2014

State Literary Awards Results – 2015

State Literary Awards Results – 2016

State Literary Awards Results – 2020

Panel Profile

Ven. Rambukkana Siddhartha Thero
Chair-person

Rambukkana Siddhartha Thera has been using `song’ to deliver the great message of dhamma. A lot remains to be said about the literary work of this `Sindu liyana Hamuduruvo’ (the priest who writes songs) which he does without any lucrative expectation, but out of sheer enthusiasm for art which he mingles with his conviction in Dhamma.

Siddhartha Thera has studied in several Pirivenas including Sunethradevi Pirivena, Pepiliyana, Colombo, and graduated from the University of Kelaniya in Buddhist Philosophy (Sp. Hons).

He studied Mass Communication as an auxiliary subject. He also worked for Lake House Sinhala publications such as Silumina and Navayugaya, for a brief period, on a voluntary basis.


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Senior Prof. Upul Ranjith Hewawitanagamage
Vice Chairman
Senior Professor

Senior Prof. Upul Ranjith Hewawitanagamage has been appointed as a member of State Literature advisory board of Arts Council of Sri Lanka.


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Prof. Harshana Rambukwella
Member
Professor

Harshana Rambukwella is Director, Postgraduate Institute of English, Open University of Sri Lanka. He received his PhD from the University of Hong Kong, where he is Honorary Assistant Professor at the School of English. He is the author of the Politics and Poetics of Authenticity: A Cultural Genealogy of Sinhala Nationalism (2018) published by University College London Press (UCL Press) and is a trustee of the Gratiaen Trust which awards the Gratiaen Prize for Sri Lankan writing in English and has been a member of the State Literary Sub-committee. His work has also appeared in a number of journals such as the Journal of Commonwealth Literature, boundary 2, and Journal of Asian Studies. He has been a fellow of the Institute for Advanced Social Studies and Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh.

Harshana’s research interests are in postcolonial literatures, literary history and nationalism.


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Krishantha Fedricks
Member
Senior Lecturer

Mr. Krishantha Fedricks is a Lecturer in Department of Sinhala, University of Colombo.


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Gamini Sumanasekara
Member

Mr. Gamini Sumanasekara has been appointed as a member of State Literary Advisory Board.


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A.D. Ranjith Kumara
Member
Journalist/Author/Artist

Veteran journalist, artist and author A. D. Ranjith Kumara who has created more than 300 book cover designs for renowned authors.


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S. Muralitharan
Member
Director of Education

Subramaniampillai Muralitharan is currently serving as Director of Education (Tamil schools Development/ Peace Education and Reconciliation Unit) in the Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka. Formerly he was very much associated with teacher training and teacher education being Principal of Teachers’ College, President of National College of Education and Director of Teacher Education Administration. He holds B.Sc (Hons) Peradeniya, M.Ed from York University- Canada, and earned Postgraduate Diplomas from University of Jayawardenepura, University of Peradeniya and University of Colombo. The vast literary scope he has acquired through studies and international forums in many countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Germany, Korea and India, has made an expertise in his area.


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Sirisena Vithanage
Member
Author

Mr. Sirisena Vithanage has been appointed as a member of State Literary Advisory Board.


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Piyal Kariyawasam
Member
Writer/Author

Mr. Piyal Kariyawasam has been appointed as a member of State Literary Advisory Board.


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Rajitha Weerakon
Member

Mrs. Rajitha Weerakon has been appointed as a member of State Literary Advisory Board.


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Sumudu Chathurani Jayawardena
Member
Journalist/Author

Editor - "Sathmadala" magazine at Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited,
Lecturer at Sri Lanka Press Council
Lecturer at SLTTI


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Dr. Latha Gurusinghe
Member
Senior Lecturer

Dr. P. Latha Gurusinghe is at present a Senior Lecturer of the Department of Sinhala, University of Colombo. She has also served as the Head of the Department of Sinhala. Further she has made her contribution for State Literary Award ceremonies as one of the prominent member in the Judge panel for considerable years. She obtained her bachelor's degree with first class honours. M.A (Kelaniyain phil (Colombo) and ph.D (Colombo) up to now she has published so many academic writings. Furthermore she is a renowned researcher in Feminism literature and also she has engage in a lot of academic works related to modern Sinhala Literature.


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Dr. Kusumalatha Lankamulla
Member
Senior Lecturer

Dr. Kusumalatha Lankamulla is a senior lecturer at University of Sri Jayawardenapura.


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Anoma Wijesekara
Secretary
Cultural Officer

Mrs. Anoma Wijesekara has been appointed as a Secretary of State Literary Advisory Board.


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Nishshanka Chamara
Assistant Secretary
Cultural Officer

Mr. Nishshanka Chamara has been appointed as a Assistant Secretary of State Literary Advisory Board.


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S. Thanushan
Assistant Secretary
Development Officer

Mr. S. Thanushan has been appointed as a Assistant Secretary of State Drama Advisory Board.


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