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1890 |
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Birth on the 29th of May, the only son of Lamahewage Don
Bastian Wickramasinghe and Magalle Balapitiya Liyanage Thochchohamy.
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1895 |
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Learns the letters of the Sinhala Alphabet from Andiris
Gurunanse. |
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1897 |
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Goes to the village temple for traditional instructions. |
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1898 |
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Starts to explore the marine life of the Koggala Reef situated
about a quarter mile from his home. |
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1900 |
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Goes to the Buonavista School in Galle to start his formal
education. |
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1901 |
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Death of his father Don Bastian Wickramasinghe. |
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1902 |
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Leaves Buonavista School due to financial hardships. Writes
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"Balopadeshaya" (Advice to Children) under the
tutelage of the monk
Koggala Deerananda Thero. (Martin Wickramasinghe has said
that he was
coerced into writing this book, being a ruse of his mother
and
Rev.Deerananda to discipline him). |
1904 |
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Goes to the Sinhala medium School in Ahangama. |
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1906 |
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Leaves school at the age of 16 to work as book-keeper in
Carolis |
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Silva's shop in Colombo. |
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1907 |
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Leaves Carolis Silva and joins a commissions agency run
by John Silva. |
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1910 |
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Death of his mother, Magalle Blapitiya Liyanage Thochchohamy. |
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1914 |
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Publishes his first novel Leela. John Silva's agency is
closed in the |
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aftermath of the Sinhala-Muslim riots and Martin Wickramasinghe |
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returns to Koggala. |
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1915 |
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Becomes book-keeper in Cornelis Silva's shop in Batticaloa. |
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1916 |
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Starts to write to the Sinhala Daily "Dinamina"
under the pen name |
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"Hethu Vaadi" (Rationalist). Writes a controversial
series "Plants and |
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Animals". |
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1920 |
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Joins the Editorial Staff of "Dinamina" the Sinhala
national daily. |
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1925 |
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Marries Kataluwe Balage Prema de Silva on the 30th of November. |
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1926 |
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Takes residence in Mt.Lavinia. Susantha Manuwarna the first-born
child |
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dies 3 months after birth. |
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1927 |
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Leaves "Dinamina" and joins "Lakmina". |
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1928 |
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Birth of son Sarath Kusum on 26th of December. |
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1929 |
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Birth of son Vasantha Kumara on 16th of July. |
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1931 |
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Birth of daughter Rupa Malathie on 4th February. |
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Becomes Editor of ;the "Silumina" the Sunday weekly
national news |
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paper. |
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1932 |
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Birth of son Himansu Ranga on 16th July. Appointed Editor
of |
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"Dinamina" the Sinhala national daily. |
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1935 |
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Birth of daughter Usha on September 20th. |
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1939 |
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Built a house in Samudrasanna Road in Mt.Lavinia and takes |
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residence in it. |
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1940 |
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Birth of daughter Unie on 13th September. |
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1941 |
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Take over of Koggala and adjoining villages by the Colonial
Government |
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for an military air base. |
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1946 |
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Resigns from the post of Editor of "Dinamina". |
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1950 |
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Sells house in Mt.Lavinia and takes up residence in Thimbirigasyaya |
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to enable children to go to the university. |
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1953 |
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Awarded the MBE. by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in person. |
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Appointed member of the Radio Broadcasting Commission. |
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1954 |
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Appointed to the National Languages Commission, Committee
for |
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making a glossary of scientific terms. Resigned from the
Commission |
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after 3 months. |
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1956 |
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Takes up residence in Bandarawela. Wins the award for the
best news |
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paper article for the year "The fall of the Brahmin
Class". |
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1957 |
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A visit to Southern India to study archaeological artifacts.
His novel |
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"Viragaya" wins the Don Pedric Award for the best
novel of the year |
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He gives the award money to create a scholarship fund for |
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enabling a student from Karandeniya to obtain a university
education. |
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1958 |
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Visits the Soviet Union with his wife on the invitation
of the |
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Soviet Writers Union. |
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1959 |
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Tours many parts of China with his eldest daughter on the
invitation of |
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the Chinese Government, for the 10th Anniversary Celebrations
of Peoples |
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China. |
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1960 |
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Awarded the Honorary Ph.D by the Vidyodaya University.
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( Sri Jayawardenepura University). |
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1961 |
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Participates in the centenary commemorative celebration
of Rabindranath |
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Tagore on the invitation of the Indian Government. |
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1962 |
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Handing over of his birth place in Koggala with the house
where he was |
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born by the Government of Sri Lanka. Takes up residence
in Nawala, |
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Rajagiriya. |
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1963 |
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Visits Moscow and London. Awarded the D Lit by the University
of |
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Peradeniya. |
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1964 |
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Given the UNESCO Award for his book "The Rise of the
Soviet Land". |
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Visits Havana, Cuba with his wife at the invitation of the
Writer Congress of |
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Cuba. Visits London and Paris on the return journey. Production
of the |
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film of "Gamperaliya" by Lester James Peiris.
The film wins the |
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"Golden Peacock" Award. at the International Film
Festival in New Delhi. |
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Awarded the D.Lit. by Vidyalankara University (Kelaniya
University). |
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1968 |
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Visit to Cuba on the invitation of the Cuban Government |
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1970 |
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Celebrations to commemorate his 80th Birthday organized
by the Sri Lanka |
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Writers Congress in Koggala and in many parts of the island.
Awarded the |
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D.Lit by the University of Colombo. |
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1972 |
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Visits Sanchi, Buddhagaya,Gijjakuta, Nalanda and other
regions |
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where the Buddha trod as a guest of the Indian Government. |
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1974 |
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Receives the first Presidential Award for Literature.He
donates the award |
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money to the Minister of Cultural Affairs to initiate a
scholarship to benefit a |
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University student. |
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1975 |
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Publishes "Bhava Tharanaya", a novel depicting
the life and times of Prince |
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Siddhartha. |
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1976 |
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Publishes a collection of essays Manawa
Vidyawa ha Sinhala Sanskruthiya (Sinhalese Culture
: Anthropological Perceptions) |
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Prepares two other books for publication. ( These were
published posthumously by the M W Trust )
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