Vetern broadcaster passes away

Veteran broadcaster and pioneer of Sri Lanka's private broadcasting, Nimal Lakshapathiarachchi passed away yesterday morning in Colombo.

According to sources, Lakshapathiarachchi had suddenly taken ill yesterday morning and had been admitted to a private hospital in Colombo, where he passed away a short while later.

Lakshapathiarachchi was the founder of Sirasa FM and Sirasa TV stations that marked the turning point in Sri Lanka's radio and television industry.

His promising expedition continued with the establishment the 1st infortainment television channel in Sri Lanka as a non-terrestrial channel on the Sky Digital Platform. He had also worked as the Director General of Sri Lanka's state television network (Rupavahini). He was the brainchild of the Hiru TV, a television station which was launched during the month of May. However, he had resigned from the station a few weeks before his demise.