Nationality Sri Lankan Name Seelaratna Senarath Spouse(s) Kanthi Senarath | Religion Buddhist Ethnicity Sinhalese | |
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Born 2 September 1944 (age 79) ( 1944-09-02 ) Galaha, Kandy, Sri Lanka Occupation Director Programming of CRI Sri Lanka & former Director Editorial of Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited Children Missaka, Kassapa & Tissaka | ||
Seelaratna Senarath (born September 2, 1944) is the Director Programming of CRI Sri Lanka. He is a famous commercial program announcer of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and former Director Editorial of Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited.
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Journalist career
He was the Media Secretary to Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (2005-2010) and Mahinda Rajapaksa former Opposition Leader of Sri Lanka (2002-2004). He had served as a 'Language Expert' and 'Advisory Broadcaster' at the Sinhala Service of China Radio International during 2003-2005) in Beijing China. Prior to that he had served as the Media Adviser at Mahaweli Center of Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority (1987-1999). Before moving into Mahaweli Center he began his career as a teacher and had served in many remote areas of the country.
He was a freelance broadcaster at Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and had done a number of famous commercial programs such as 'Dasa Pibidena Gayaka Parapura', 'Guruge Menik Wasana Udawa', 'Jayanithyakalyani Vinoda Mela', 'Ov Ne Be', 'Winadiyak Pamanai', 'Mahaweliyen Deyata Pidena Mal', 'Helence Mangala Seenu', 'Tea Shakthi' etc. Apart from that he had acted in various radio-dramas such as 'Kele Mal', 'Muwanpelessa' etc. 'Api Dennai Palu Lowai' the famous radio detective series in the 80s was written and acted by him. He had also done several famous television programs as well such as 'Shanida Ayubowan', 'Shanida Wasanawa Ganitha Getaluwa' etc.
He is very famous for his ability to do public announcing in all three official languages of Sri Lanka. He is fluent in Sinhala, Tamil and English. He had a rare opportunity to teach Tamil language to very famous Sri Lankan politicians such as Gamini Dissanayake, Anuruddha Ratwatte, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Namal Rajapaksa while he was working with them time to time.
Felicitating the service rendered to Sri Lanka and China friendship Mr. Seelaratna Senarath has been awarded 'Friendship Excellence' award by China Radio International and 'Friendship Honors' award by China Radio & TV Co. for International Techno-Economic Cooperation for his efforts to establish CRI Sri Lanka FM channel and CGTN (TV channel) in Sri Lanka.
He has also been conferred the honorary title of Maadya Shiromani Lanka Puthra by the Asgiriya & Malwatta Chapters of Sri Lanka Main Theravada Buddhist Clergy.
In November 2013, Sri Lankan expatriate association in Melbourne Australia 'Mihindu Lama Padanama' felicitated Mr. Senarath for the lifetime contribution he made for the media industry in Sri Lanka.
In April 2014, he represented Sri Lanka at the Heads of Media Institutions Roundtable of Boao Forum for Asia.
Teaching career
Seelaratna Senarath begins his career as a trained teacher after being graduated from the Teachers' Training College in Giragama. He served in several areas in Sri Lanka including Ampara District, Batticaloa District and Gampaha District before he joins as the media adviser at Mahaweli Center in the late 1980s.
Guna Ruwa Suwanda
Seelaratna Senarath was portrait on two episodes TV documentary series Guna Ruwa Suwanda telecast on Rupavahini in 2014
Ada Mahattaya Novel
The novel "Ada Mahattaya" written by journalist Ashoka Piyaratne reflecting the real life experience of Seelaratna Senarath when he served as the headmaster of a remote village school in Sippimaduwa, Batticaloa District during late 1970s was launched on 06th October 2016.
Shanida Saadaya
Popular television talk show "Shanida Saadaya" of ITN interviewed Seelaratna Senarath on 06 May 2017