Chitrananda Abeysekera
| Chitrananda Abeysekera | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 7 March 1930 Kosgoda, Sri Lanka |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Education | Nalanda College Colombo |
| Occupation | Broadcaster |
| Website | www |
Chitrananda Abeysekera (1930–1992) was a veteran broadcaster, poet, writer and an administrator. He joined Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, then Radio Ceylon as a radio announcer and retired as the Director of Sinhala Services in 1989. He was also the President of Aganuwara Tharuna Kavi Samajaya (ATHAKASA) for more than a decade and initiated a lot of programs that benefited poets and the public alike. He restarted Kavi Suwanda, the poetry newspaper for poets. Chitrananda dedicated his whole life to Sinhala poetry and literature, not forgetting Radio Journalism.
Agampodi Harindranath Chitrananda Mendis Abeysekera was born on 7 March 1930 in Kosgoda. He was the only child of Mr. Agampodi Louis Mendis Abeysekera and Mrs. Degiri Roslin Henry de Zoysa. He started his primary education at Kosgoda Sinhala School in Galle district but when he was nine, Chitrananda entered Nalanda College Colombo. He was a prominent member of the College Debating Team and also of the College Culture Club. He published his first book of poetry (Sarasavi Gitaya) as a student at Nalanda with the help of mentor and teacher U. A. S. Perera. Young Chitrananda was a corporal of Nalanda College Colombo Senior Cadet Corps.
Chitrananda began work as an English assistant teacher in a village school in the rural town of Menikkadavara in the Dedigama electorate in 1949. He left this post soon after to lend his hand to the Registrar General's department, Official Languages Commission and the Official Languages Bureau.
On 6 August 1956 he found his long journey at Radio Ceylon as a guest producer of poetry, drama and features. He would subsequently advance to the top position of Director of Sinhala Services which he would hold till his retirement till 1989. In his position, Abeysekera would attempt to advance new talent through programs like 'Nava Mihira'. During this period, he served as the head of the Rural Services and Publication divisions. Chitrananda headed the "Govi Jaya Handa" program project during Hon. Dudley Senanayake era and was very popular among rural Ceylon. He was a very talented and well-known broadcaster and administrator. He was also very popular as a Live Radio commentator.
He got the opportunity to train on different mass media fields at ABC – Australia, BBC, AIBD – Malaysia, Pakistan and in 1980 he represented Sri Lanka at Non-aligned Broadcasters Conference in Freetown, Sierra Leon. He participated in several Poetry and Cultural events in Yugoslavia and China.
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