{{short description|Sri Lankan academic}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox person | honorific-prefix = | name = Sunanda Mahendra | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1938|1|28|df=yes}} | birth_name = | birth_place = Piliyandala, Sri Lanka | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} --> | education = Dharmaraja College, Ananda College | years_active = 1962–present | other_names = | spouse = | children = | relatives = | alma_mater = University of Kelaniya <br> University of Leicester | party = | occupation = Poet, author }} '''Sunanda Mahendra De Mel''' ({{langx|si|සුනන්ද මහේන්ද්ර}}; born 28 January 1938), popularly known as '''Sunanda Mahendra''', is an author, and poet.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}
==Personal life== Mahendra was born on 28 January 1938 in Piliyandala.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/features-story/2020/01/23/15054/තමාගේ-තරම-දැන-නොසිටි-බණ්ඩාරේ | title=Bandara who does not know his size | publisher=Sarasaviya | accessdate=7 March 2020}}</ref>
==Career== Mahendra started to write news columns which were published in daily and weekly papers. He published the drama book ''Vineetha Hema'' becoming the first to publish a drama associated book in Sri Lanka. He published his maiden novel ''Hewaneli Eda Minissu'' which won State Literary Award for the best novel in 1964. In 1965, he translated Henrik Ibsen’s play ''Heddar Gabler'' as ''Geheniyak'' to Sinhala.<ref name= suna>{{cite web | url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2010/10/27/art18.asp | title=Sunanda's story in print | work=Daily News | accessdate=7 March 2020}}</ref><ref name= mahe>{{cite web | url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/drama/?fn=sa16090127 | title=Professor Sunanda Mahendra who introduced Ibsen to the Sinhala stage | publisher=Sarasaviya | accessdate=7 March 2020}}</ref> During this period, he became a program producer in Radio Ceylon. Then he became a professional broadcaster on the BBC World Service, based in London, where he also read for his doctorate. He is the pioneer to bring ''BBC Sandeshaya'' to Sri Lankan listeners.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} In 1965, a monologue called ''Pitastharayo'' was produced which was originally a radio drama. His next stage play was ''Sayuren Aa Landa'' in 1967 starred by Malini Fonseka.<ref name= mahe />
He wrote popular song lyrics for C.T. Fernando such as "Obage Thurulen Oba Dun Sihilen" and "Amathannata Heki Basak Soya". However the songs were released through radio after the death of Fernando in 1977. While in UK, he wrote the song "Kuda Devika" sung by Edmond Wickremasekera. In 1976, Mahendra made the play ''Jana Hathura''. In 1979, he made the first autonomous play ''Pokuru Wessa''.<ref name= suna /> Later Wilson Gunaratne produced the remake of the play.<ref name= mahe />
In 1980, he made several children’s and media books. In the meantime, he presented the popular radio program ''Vishwa Keerthiyata Pathwuuwo''.<ref name= suna /> The program involved many foreign personalities such as Darwin, Socrates, Dickens, Plato, D H Lawrence, Beethoven, Checkov, Gallileo, Homer which were discussed under socio-political frame work. Apart from that, he also presented the programs ''Geeyaka Rasa'', ''Nirmana Vindana'' and ''Sahan Eliya''.<ref name= mahe /> After his return from Poland to Sri Lanka, he published a book on Polish folk tales, ''Polantha Janakatha''.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}
In 1990, Mahendra produced the biopic stage play ''Socrates''. Since then, he became a full-time writer and made the newspaper series ''Second thoughts'' on Daily News.<ref name= suna /> The series was later published as a book by the same name.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} In 1999, he made the plays ''Aesop'' and ''Checkhov Sandhyava''.<ref name= mahe />
==Awards== His book ''Ogha Tharanaya'' (The Crossing of the Torrential Stream) won the State Literary Award for the best Sinhala poetry collection in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2010/10/27/art18.asp|title=Artscope {{!}} Online edition of Daily News - Lakehouse Newspapers|website=archives.dailynews.lk|access-date=21 August 2016}}</ref> Many poems from the collection are now translated into English. He has won the State Literary Award for the best original play script (1993), the best research work (2002) and twice for the best Sinhala novels in 1964 and 2002. His outstanding contribution to his field of expertise, mass communication, earned him a UNESCO Copernicus award for Social Sciences in 1983.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} The play ''Socrates'' won eight awards including best state drama award in 1991.<ref name= suna />
* 1964 "Hevaneli eda minissu" best Sinhala Novel State Literary Award. * 1990 Most outstanding Citizen Award. Lions International. * 1992 "Socrates" best playscript State Literary Award * 1993 "Socrates" eight awards State Drama Festival * 2001 "Janakiyaman potha" best research State Literary Award * 2002 "Niruwath Devivaru" best Sinhala Novel State Literary Award * 2003 "Puranokthi Sangrahaya" merit State Literary Award * 2004 "Chaya Pranthaya" best Sinhala Novel Godage Literary Award * 2006 "Ogha Tharanaya" Best poetry collection State Literary Festival * 2010 Professor Gunapala Malalasekara Memorial Award for life-time achievement of Buddhist literary contribution. * 2008 Suta Kavi Buddhist Literary Award for Poetry
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110604192124/http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/10/03/art07.asp Review on Sunanda Mahendra's first play] *[http://www.kln.ac.lk University of Kelaniya] *[http://www.dinamina.lk/2016/08/24/21357 මේ තරම් සුන්දර ද බන්ධන...?]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahendra, Sunanda}} Category:1938 births Category:Living people Category:Sinhalese people Category:Sri Lankan academics Category:Alumni of Dharmaraja College Category:Alumni of Ananda College Category:Sri Lankan dramatists and playwrights Category:Sri Lankan radio writers Category:Academic staff of the University of Kelaniya Category:Kala Keerthi Category:Sinhala-language poets Category:Sinhalese writers Category:20th-century Sri Lankan novelists Category:20th-century Sri Lankan poets Category:20th-century dramatists and playwrights Category:Alumni of the University of Leicester Category:Alumni of the University of Kelaniya