The 2012 Vidyodaya Literary Awards ceremony organized by the Sri Jayawardenepura University was held at the National Library Services Board Auditorium in Colombo last week with Vice Chancellor Dr. N. L. A. Karunaratne presiding over the event organised by a team headed by Prof. Sunil Ariyaratne.Awards were presented to the best Sinhala novel, best short story collection, best poetry collection, best lyrics collection and the best newspaper column published in 2011.

Kapila Kumara Kalinga won the award for his novel ‘Piyasi Kauluwa’, Anurasiri Hettige for his short story collection ‘Sinhabahu Enakan’, Dhammika Bandara for his lyrics collection ‘Mage Punchi Rosa Male’, Manjula Wediwardana for his poetry collection ‘Ehela Emathumakata Eheremi’.  The awards for the best newspaper column were bagged by Saman Athaudahetti for ‘Sonduru Serisara Hanamichiya Dige’ and Sunday Lankadeepa journalist Prasanna Sanjeeva Tennakoon for ‘Ilmahe Biligath Viplawawadiyakuge Awasan Horawa’.

The panel of judges comprised senior lecturer Ven. Nawalapitiye Anuradha Sudhammika Therani, Prof. Dhammika Ganganath Dissanayake, senior lecturers Dr. Paraneeth Abhayasundera, Hansamala Ritigahapola and Imesha Dharmasena.

Somathilaka Jayamaha and Visharada Manoj Peiris handled the music aspects.

Pix by Kushan Pathiraja