The State Literary Awards Ceremony 2022, organized annually to give due accolades to the Sri Lankan literati, was held in grandeur at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), Colombo this afternoon (28) under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Forty (40) State Literary Awards and 03 “Sahitya Ratna” Awards were presented at the 65th State Literary Awards Ceremony which was organized by the State Literary Advisory Council, the Sri Lanka Arts Council, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.
Prof. Chandrasiri Palliaguru (Sinhala Medium), Senior Prof. Kamani Jayasekara (English Medium) and T. Gnanasekaran (Tamil Medium) were honoured by the President with the “Sahityaratna” Lifetime Award.
The award for the best independent Sinhala novel was received by Author Eric Ilayapparachchi for the ‘Nakula Muni’ novel, the award for the best independent English novel was received by Author Ms. Premani Amarasinghe for ‘Footprints’ while the award for the best independent Tamil novel was presented to Sivalingam Aruran for ‘Adurasalei’ novel.
The Souvenir released for the State Literary Awards Ceremony 2022 was presented to President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
State Literacy Board President Ven. Rambukana Siddartha Thera, Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Vidura Wickramanayake, Secretary to the Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Ministry Somaratne Vidanapathirana, Cultural Affairs Director Tharani Anoja Gamage, Professor J. B. Dissanayake, Professor Sunil Ariyaratne, Professor Praneeth Abeysundara participated in the occasion.
It has been officially announced that Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will indeed be joining the grand opening of the “City of Dreams Sri Lanka” on Aug. 02 as a special guest.
The “City of Dreams Sri Lanka” has confirmed this in a statement on Facebook.
The Commercial High Court has issued an interim injunction order, preventing popular artistes Romaine Willis and Mass Ramli Miskin (DJ Mass) from performing, reproducing and distributing the song ‘Eh Yaye’.
Colombo Commercial High Court Judge Priyantha Fernando issued the order after the Plaint filed under the Intellectual Property Act by popular singer Corrine Almeida.
The case also alleges that the musical composition and the lyrics of the song ‘Eh Yaye’ were substantially similar to the song ‘Api Natamu’.
Naming Willis and DJ Mass as defendants, the plaintiff Corrine Almeida had also stated that she is the owner of the copyright and economic rights to the musical composition and lyrics of her song titled “Api Natamu”.
The plaintiff instituted action in terms of the Intellectual Property Act, No. 36 of 2003 alleging that the musical composition and the lyrics of ‘Eh Yaye’ were substantially similar to the ‘Api Natamu’ song.
Maureen Nelia Ballardney Hingert, Sri Lanka’s first beauty queen to act in Hollywood, has passed away at the age of 88.
The news was announced by former Miss Sri Lanka and actress Angela Seneviratne via Facebook.
Maureen made history by winning the Miss Ceylon title in 1955 and went on to represent the country at the Miss Universe pageant, where she was crowned second runner-up – a milestone achievement at the time.
Following her success, she entered the film industry and starred in several Hollywood productions. In 1958, she appeared in the film Gun Fever, and a photograph from the movie shoot was later published in Playboy magazine in September 1957 – making her the first and only Sri Lankan woman to be featured in the magazine.
She signed with major studios like 20th Century Fox and Universal International Studios, and her filmography includes titles such as The King and I, Fort Bowie, The Rawhide Trail, Gunman from Laredo, Pillars of the Sky, and The Adventures of Hiram Holiday, among others.
During her peak, she was regarded as one of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood.
Maureen married Marion Zamperelli in 1958, later separating in 1970, and married William J. Ballard in 1976.
She had two children, and after the tragic passing of her daughter due to cancer, Maureen chose to live a private life away from the public eye in Los Angeles, where she remained until her death.
Ceylon’s beautiful Queen Maureen Hingert (Maureen Neliya Ballardnée Hingert (born 9 January 1937)
,mother of @Gina…