කටහඬ

   Listen Golden Voice of These Remarkable People 

Aleian de Silva

  Alfred perera

  A veteran Sinhala Announcer at Radio Ceylon and then later SLBC .He also produced , presented and participated , the well known Hilarious radio programme series "Vihilu thahalu" and "Vinoda samaya."  He was also a well known News Reader .
   
   Amarabandu Rupasinghe
  Amarabandu was a veteran broadcaster in the history of  Radio in Sri Lanka .An announcer , a commentator , a news editor , a news director and so on.... he played various roles in the field of broadcasting . He was , no doubt one of the best  Sinhala News Readers, we have ever got at SLBC . Here we find two voice cuts of his Husky voice .
  Cut-1  - At the Non aligned conference held in BMICH in Sri Lanka - 1979
                                                           
 Cut -2

   Anton perera
  Anton was an Engineer at SLBC but was popular among the listeners as an Announcer ( English ) .He had a voice of his own which was incomparable .
 
Ariyadasa pieris

 The name Ariyadasa Peiris has been a hallmark in Sri Lanka's radio from its inception. A living legend,  Ariyadasa Peiris is a man with lilting voice in compering. He is outstanding as a multi faceted character, but his talent was not limited to broadcasting.Ariyadasa Peiris is also an actor, film director, vocalist and lyricist. Very few are gifted with such enormous talents to be a complete character. Ariyadasa's astounding voice caught many a heart and mind with popular programmes like Maliban Guwan Thotilla, Pibidena Gayaka Parapura and Ambika Geethayen Geethaya.

   
 
Ariyasiri Vithanage
 
 Asoka Tillekeratne

   Joined SLBC as an English Announcer in 1966 .Shifted to Sinhala sevice as aSinhala Relief Announcer in 1966 and inthe same  year became Permanent.Held the posts of acting Assistant Director in English Service , Controller presentaion in Sinhala Service and later in 1996 appointed as Director (programmes) Lak Handa Radio . Retired after 40 year service in 2001 .

  
                                                                                                                    
 
Bandara K.Wijetunga


Berty Galahitiyawa

 
B.H.Abdul Hameed
 

   Chandra wyman

   One of the best commercial female announcers we had at SLBC since 1960' s . She specialised in commercial programmes as wellas spots and jingles .She was also a newsreader. SLBC suffered with her untimely death .


 
Chandana Tillakarathna
 
Chandana doing a commentary from Jaffna.
 

   Chitrananda Abeysekera
  Joined Radio Ceylon at the early stage as a programme prsonel and stepped up to the post of Director Sinhala Service in 1977. He specialised in Rural programming and did a marvellous job as a veteran broadcaster .

More on following link 
  More about Chitrananda
  

Chitra Kumari Kalubowila

    Cyril Rajapakse

   Cyril Rajapakse was a veteran in broadcasting who joined the radio in 50's .He was the the mosteminent Sinhala news reader for decades and also a best radio commentaotr . He held various posts in Radio Ceylon  and SLBC .


 
   D.M.Colambage

   The very first Sinhala radio announcer of Radio ceylon .Joined Radio Ceylon on 01-01-1938. He     had a very unique voice of his own .He was a well known broadcaster over the air waves of              Sri Lanka . He retired from the service as the Organizer Sinhala Service.Colambage passed away     on 23-11-1987.

CUT - 1

CUT - 2

CUT - 3 An interview with a famous Raban player Raitha Nona.

CUT - 4 Reveals an interesting history.

Dayaratne Ranatunga


Dharmasri Munasinghe
  One of the Announcers at the early stage of Sri lankan Radio in the Commercial service. He is also a veteran radio drama artist played various roles in radio dramas. " Muwan Palassa " is one to mention.
 
Dharmasiri Senanayakke
He was the Minister of Media in 1994 Government.

Dr.Nandadasa Kodagoda
Dr. in Medicine he was a well loved broadcaster on Air Waves of SLBC. 
Dr. Kodagoda speaks about Ridgeway Tillekeratne at a commemorative programme.


    Gemunu Wijesuriya

   Same as Dharmasri Munasinghe , Gemunu is also One of the Announcers at the early stage of Sri lankan Radio in the Commercial service. He is also a veteran radio drama artist played various roles in radio dramas. " Muwan Palassa " is one to mention.


 
Gunatunga K.Liyanage

   H.M.Gunasekera

   Another great personality in the Sri lankan broadcasting field . He also joined Radio Ceylon as a relief announcer and went up step by step . In 1973 he was appointed the Director of Sinhala Service. HM as known within the field ,  owned a very fascinating and appealing voice . Even now he is not only remembered by the Sinhala broadcasters but also try to read him as a VETERAN . Once he presented the well known BBC Sinhala Sandesaya from London .



   cut -2 . H.M. interviewing the great Sinhala vocalist Sunil Santha .



Hemajith Fernando
An intervtew with Samuel Rodrigo
  

   Hudson Samarasinghe

   He joined SLBC in 1970's as a programme producer . He is an announcer and radio commentator too . He has risen from humble beginnings to become the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. This is his third tenure. He is responsible for the revival of the SLBC to its current position . Popular for his outspoken and open radio programmes, Hudson Samarasinghe has transformed radio broadcasting in Sri Lanka. He is a person who has worked closely with four Presidents of this country and has been an elected Member of Parliament. He comes with a multitude of experiences both as a veteran journalist and politician.


 
   Harrold Fernando

   Harrold is a veteran  English announcer in the National English Service of SLBC . The following is a closing announcement to a feature programme .


 
Indra Ramanayakke
Indra¹s rise to fame within the Radio Ceylon (SLBC) is a tribute to the power and efficiency of modern means of communication. Indra worked for some time as a relief announcer during which period she successfully completed her university entrance examination. Soon, she was handling thirty musical and commercial programmes a week on both, National, and Commercial, Services of the SLBC. She dominated the Commercial Service primarily by promoting the Ceylon Film Corporation releases covering their Sinhala and Hindhi films. In addition, she became part and parcel of the radio drama team (Radio Rangamadala ) rubbing shoulders with famous names such as Lucian Bulathsinhala, Dharmasiri Bandara, Somalatha Subasinghe, Jayasekera Aponso, Mercy Edirisinghe, Denowaka Hamine, Karunaratne Amarasinghe, and Bandara K. Wijetunge.In London, her entrance into the BBC World Service, Sinhala Section, was greeted with almost instant acclaim. She believed that the best way of being on top in radio announcement was a matter of continuity, continuity of serving the Sinhala service and continuity of style.
 
Indrasiri Suraweera
 
    J.H.Jayawardena

 A very senior radio personell specially in the radio drama field . With a very Husky  voice , J.H. also contributed in the field of Sinhala Cinema . 
 

Janadasa Peiris
He joined SLBC as a news assistant and was a very attractive in reporting and editing.In 1994 he
was appointed The Chairman of SLBC and later he was also the Secretary to the Media Ministry .
 
Jayantha Rohana
 
   Joseph Mather
  An announcer with a well identified husky voice in the English Service of  SLBC .
   
Kapila Tilakasiri
 
K.D.K.Dharmawardena
 




   Karunaratne Abeysekera

  Karu was yet another veteran at Radio Ceylon as wellas SLBC .a prminent well popular Sinhala Announcer Karu , made a name in the histort of broadcasting in Sri Lanka .Apart from an announcer he was also a well known commentator , news reader and a well loved lyricist .His voice was of course UNIQUE . Here he was interviewed by another popular announcer in the Commercial Service , Rangith Pieris .We regret both of them are no more with us .


  

Karunaratne Amarasinghe
 

K.Francis
 



   Kumara Ratnayaka


He joined SLBC in 1970's and atached to the religious section of tne Sinhala Service . Later he became the Controller of Religious programmes . He held the post until his death .
 

  Lalith.S.Maitripala 

  He joined Radio Ceylon as a relief announcer and  was promoted step by step as Permanent announcer , organizer , controller  of the Commercial Service . Some years after his retirement he was appointed as the Chairman of the SLBC in early 90's . Lalith was a person with various talents in the Media circle . Following cut is a radio interview with another talented radio announcer Hemajith Fernando .

   
Lalith is intervieved by Hemajith Fernando

   Livy R.Wijemanne

   One of the veteran English announcers of Radio Ceylon's Commercial Service . He joined as a relief announce . Then stepped-up as Announcer , Director  and ultimately  the Chairman of SLBC . He was an  internationaly known vetaran broadcaster . Listen to his appealing voice.  


 
   Lucien Bulathsinhala

   Lucien joined SLBC in 1970's as an recording operating assistant and later he switched to the programme section as a producer of Sinhala Programmes . He was very talented at his job and produced so many programmes which became very popular among listeners .To mention one  that was " Sandella "..He was responsible for many a Radio Plays too . He at one time joined "Rupavahini" and showed his talents in that field too . Apart from the broadcasting talents he is very creative at the stage . Lucien Bulathsinghala is a proficient theatre artist who started his vocation as a stage actor in the 1960s. The earliest role he played was Saliya in a traditional tragic comedy entitled Sakunthala.  His  play "Rathuhattakari" was staged in 1974. During this period, Lucien had the opportunity to act in theatre productions directed by Sugathapala de Silava and Premaranjith Thilakaratne. Then he staged "Tharavo Igilethi" in 1981.  He is also a very creative lyricist and had written hundreds of very popular Sinhala Songs . So much to say about Lucien...... Now listen to him speaking about Maestro Premasiri Kemadasa .


 



   Madawala S.Ratnayakke

   Sirisena Ratnayake prefixed his name with that of his village off Alawwa in the Kurunegala district . He started his life as a journalist at Lake House and later the Lankadeepa .  His most productive period was when he joined Radio Ceylon,  as a programme producer. Here with Mahagama Sekera and Amaradeva he stood at the frontiers of the musical revolution of the day. His children's programme 'Tikiri Sina Reli' was the nursery for so many literary and musical talents of later time. Some of  his best songs written for Amaradeva were 'Bambareku Avai', 'Nil Mahanel', 'Swarna Vimaneta Eha Lokayen' and 'Min Dada Heesara's . Madawala S. Ratnayake died on January 12, 1997 .


  
Mahinda Wijesundara
A well talented English announcer in the English Service of SLBC in 70's.
 
Nanda Jayamanne
 

Newton Gunaratne
Newton started his broadcasting career as a relief announcer at Radio Ceylon / SLBC while he was holding a permanent post in Milk Board .In 70's hebecame a permanent announcer and started full time broadcasting.He went up step by step and bcame the Deputy Director General of SLBC in 1994 .In the year of 1996 he was the pioneer to start Lak Handa Radio under SLBC and the new channel became popular in no time. Later he was appointed as the General Manager of ITN and he took Lakhanda as the Radio Wing of ITN.He ended up as the Chairman of ITN .One time he was the ambassodor to Mynmar. 
 


Palita perera
  Palitha Perera's rich, powerful and clear voice  is unique .   Palitha joined radio Ceylon in 1963 as an announcer . His ability , profssionalisam , talent and intellectual capacity took him to the position of the Sinhala Service Directo  in 1991 . Ever since he left the SLBC he has been a free-lancer and a presenter wherever he was invited to perform . Palitha was awarded BBC's best feature presenter award in 1971.
Among cricket enthusiasts in Sri Lanka , he is still well known as a cricket commentator   for decades on Radio and TV . It is widely believed that he is the Sri Lanka's first radio cricket commentator in Sinhala.  When the live TV coverage began in Sri Lanka for the first time in 1982 on RUPAVAHINI , with the tour of Keith Fletcher's England for the Sri Lnaka's inaugural Test Palitha was among the first set of local commentators as well.Completing over 45 years of cricket commentating, the SLBC , on the 30th September 2009, felicitated its faithful member of the staff under the auspices of ARJUNA RANATUNGE World Cup winning Captain, Sports and Public Recreation Minister Gamini Lokuge, Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa and the SLBC Chairman Hudson Samarasinghe.   In 2008,Palitha pened his first book titled ' PALITHA SAMAGA SAJEEWA LESIN " ( Live with Palitha Perera ) trying to chronicle the local broadcasting History in lasts  half centuary .   
 
Sri Lanka's First Test Cricket match held on 17.02 1982 .- TV commentary by Palitha .


Inauguaration of 'Jathika Rupavahini' ( National TV) on 15.02.82 .

Palitha with the historical helicopter commentary on "Sevena Athwela" .


Premakirthi de Alwis
  The most popular annoncer,commentator, news reader , a well known lyricist.He was assasinated on 31st july 1989 by an unknown gun-man.
 
Premakirthi with the historical helicopter commentary on "Sevena Athwela" .


Premnath Jayatilaka
 

 Sagarika Abeyratne


 

Saman Attaudahetti
 In the late 1970s,  a sports channel was inaugerated on the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC). Former Lake House journalist Carlton Seneviratne was assigned to take over this new channel.   In 1978, Saman and Hemajith Fernando began a new programme, ‘Kreeda Sangrahaya’   which was aired from 5-6 p.m. daily on this channel and  It became extremely popular.
Saman started his broadcasting career while he was a student at Royal College byparticipating in childrens programmes
( Lama Mandapaya ) and with the exoerience he gained , becama a relief announcer . He is also a well known lyricist .
 

Sarath Wimalaweera

Ananda Sarath Wimalaweera  was an announcer , commentator ,controller and Director of Central Operations at Radio Ceylon / SLBC. He was also a famous lyricist .

 

Sumana Nellampitiya
 Sumana joined the SLBC in 1967 . She was chosen as a relief announcer. Gradually she tried her hands at various sectors from presenting, script writing, editing to producing programs. A real broadcaster Sumana then ventured towards television and entered history as the first television news presenter in Sri Lanka . She also has been attached to a Sinhala Channel in United Arab Emirates for six years.