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Martin Wickramasinghe

Overview

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DOB : 29-05-1890
Date of death: 23-07-1976
Lived For : 85 Years
Star Sign : Gemini
Gender : Male

Skills

» Journalist

Written By - Team Nettv4u

Martin Wickramasinghe, born Lama Hewage Don Martin Wickramasinghe, was a journalist cum author in Sri Lanka. He was born on 29th May 1980 in Koggala to Lamahewage Don Bastian Wickramasinghe and Magalle Balapitiya Liyanage Thochchohamy as their only son. He was married to Kataluwe Balage Prema de Silva and had six children. He was taught the Sinhala Alphabet at his home. Andiris Gurunnanse, a monk in the temple, taught him the basics. Martin Wickramasinghe also learnt the Devanagari script. He was able to memorize and recite the big sections of Hitopadesha, an Indian script with animals and human characters. Later, he was sent to the school Buona Vista in Galle. He was well-versed in Latin and English. He lost his father in 1901. He was boarded to another school. However, he quit school, and joined a shop as a bookkeeper. In 1906, he joined a commission agency, and it was the same year that he lost his mother. In 1915, he joined a shop in Batticaloa as a bookkeeper.

In 1914, he wrote a novel, Leela. In 1916, Martin’s writing career started. He wrote under the penname Hethu Vaadi in Dinamina, a Sinhala daily. Later, he joined the editorial staff in Dinamina, owned by ANCL. In 1919, he wrote Shastriya Lekhana, an anthology of essays. Soma, Irangani, Seetha, and Miringu Diya were some of his works in the early 1920s. In 1927, he quit Dinamina and joined Lakmina. In 1931, he joined ANCL as an editor for its weekend paper, Silumina.

Some of his novels and short story collections are Unmada Chitra, Rohini, Geheniyak, Magul Gedara, Pavkarayata Galgesima, Apuru Muhuna, Gamperaliya, Madol Doova, Yuganthaya, Viragaya, Kaliyugaya, Mage Kathawa, and Vahallu. Some of his plays are Chithra, Mayuri, and Vijitha. Some of his literary works include Sinhala Sahitya Katha, Vichara Lipi, Sinhala Sahityaye Negima, Sampradaya Ha Vicharaya, and Vyavahara Bhashava Ha Parinama Dharmaya. He wrote an autobiography, Ape Gama. In 1960, he wrote another autobiography, Upanda Sita.

Besides these works, he has written biographies, too. He has also worked in history and travel and also wrote a few books in English. Some of his books are translated into Tamil, Dutch, Bulgarian, French, Romanian, Japanese, English, and Russian. He died in 1976 due to age-related illness. After his death, his works were used to make cinemas and dramas. Some of the films are Gamperaliya, Madol Doova, Yuganthaya, and Viragaya Karuwala Gedara Story soon >> Read More... . Leli, Gamperaliya, Mamage Duwa, Upasakamma, Mudiyanse Mama, Mava, and Sisiliyata Padamak are some of his novels that are adapted into TV dramas.