Death of Wimal Abhayasundara

Kalakeerthi Panditha Vimal Abhayasundara, a veteran poet of the Colombo era and a leading art critic, researcher and author died yesterday. He was also an intellectual skilled in the composition of songs.

Born on September 17, 1921 at Wellabada, Welitota in the Galle district he had his primary education at the village school and secondary education in leading Colombo schools before graduating from the University.

Although he was a famous orator and writer in the Sinhala medium he occasionally wrote poems in English. He was also well versed in Sanskrit Prakrit, Hindi and English. Starting his career as a journalist in his youth he served a several newspapers as a sub editor. Thereafter he joined Radio Ceylon as a programme producer in the Sinhala service.

While sewing Radio Ceylon in various executive positions he won a British Scholarship and underwent training at the BBC, London. After retiring from the SLBC in 1980 he wrote and produced several Radio plays for sometime.

He also composed and produced several operas which were presented on stage and screened on Television.

An author of over 100 reputed books he won Sahitya awards for four of his works. Nishadi which won the first State Sahitya award for a poetry book was his work.

He was conferred the Kalakeerthi hornorary title by the State in 1992 in recognition of his service towards literature and art.Panditha Abhayasundara who had widely travelled in India, U.K., France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Egypt, Yugoslavia, China and Malaysia has represented Sri Lanka at Literary seminars held in Yugoslavia, China and Malaysia.

He was conferred the Mini Pahan Sara Honoary Degree by the President this year. Some of his books are still in print. He was also conferred the Kavya Kala Parameshwara honorary title at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Samastha Lanka Kavi Sammelanaya. Funeral arrangements will be notified later.