Nikini Jayatunga
 

Nikini Jayatunga is a representative of a new wave of modern British Sri Lankans working overseas. One of triplets, Nikini is an alumna of St John’s College, Cambridge University, where she graduated with a first class in Modern Languages (French and Spanish), followed by a MA in Cultural and Creative Industries at King’s College, London. She now works as an Assistant Development Editor for a leading academic publishing company in the UK. In an exclusive interview, she details her transition from student to working woman.

What was your experience like at Cambridge?

I feel very fortunate to have been able to experience Cambridge: its traditions, its eccentricities, its beautiful architecture, as well as its intensity (especially during exam term!). It was hard work, and high pressure, but also high reward – great friends and great memories!

I also responded well to the rigorous teaching style. I enjoyed being pushed to think for myself, to be critical and analytical rather than simply accept answers. In that way it was a formative experience, making me an independent thinker, which is an important skill (though it means I don’t back down easily in an argument, which I’m sure my friends and family can testify to!).

What made you decide to enter the world of publishing?

I’ve always loved reading and my degree also gave me a real love of language and an appreciation of good writing. Publishing, and the editorial role, seemed like the perfect job to combine both those passions. And academic publishing was a better fit for me than fiction or trade publishing because it satisfies my natural curiosity and appetite for knowledge. Simply put, I like to learn. And as a development editor I do that every day, I am pushed intellectually because I work on a varied range of subject areas, including Business, Economics, Psychology, Social Work and International Relations.  

What are the interesting aspects of your current job?

The job is incredibly diverse; as you would imagine, it involves a lot of reading and text editing, but it also offers some great opportunities to be creative. I particularly enjoy the more visual aspects – thinking about cover and page designs and sourcing interesting illustrative images. And it’s not all about print books either! I am also responsible for filming and editing video content to accompany our books, which is really fun! Being tech-savvy is increasingly important as publishing moves more firmly into the digital realm, so getting skilled up in that area is also very exciting. I often find that people don’t really know what publishing entails, but it’s a really interesting and rewarding field!

Tell us about your involvement in projects relating to Sri Lanka.

Though I visited Sri Lanka regularly while growing up, I think I sometimes felt a little disconnected to it, in the sense that I built a very specific picture of it based on my immediate family circles. I’m very glad that, in recent years, as an adult, I’ve begun to form a deeper connection to the island and explore all its complexities. This has been through several projects – some more charity/humanitarian focused while others are more peacebuilding/advocacy related. What I’ve enjoyed most is meeting people on the ground. I’m always moved and humbled by their resilience and strength, but also by their generosity, in sharing their stories with me. And that really motivates me to stay engaged, to stay active, which means not just resting on all the good things being Sri Lankan brings, but also acknowledging the problems the country faces and trying to contribute, in whatever way I can.

By Tina Edward Gunawardhana