Please Select Your Own Language

Gunathilake Bandara Senanayake (14 July 1913 – 16 March 1985) (known as G.B Senanayake) was a prominent Sinhala writer who portrayed Sinhala middle-class life in his novels. He is credited with introducing free verse poetry to Sinhala. He became blind later in his life and still managed to write 16 books with help from his sister. The second stage of Sinhala short stories begins with G.B. Senanayake's short stories. Though mainly focused on short stories Senanayake also wrote Novels and Poetry as well. He introduced 'Nisandas' during a time when Sinhala poetry was in need of a different style. G.B. Senanayake was a writer who was very concerned about being grammatically correct in writing.

Biography

Born on 13 July in the year 1913 in Mulleriyawa Colombo, Gunathilaka Bandara Senanayake was the youngest of a family of four boys.
He had his primary education at St. Joseph's College in Grandpass. Then he had his secondary education at Ananda College Colombo. Due to economic problems he gave up schooling at the age of 14.
Later he did further studies on his own. At the age of 18 he started going to the public library in Colombo which gave him the opportunity to access thousands of books. G.B. Senanayake calls the public library his own university.
Martin Wickramasinghe, then editor of the 'Dinamina' newspaper recognising G.B. Senanayake's abilities offered him a job at Lake House. For some time Senanayake worked as a professional journalist at 'Dinamina' and 'Sinhala Bauddhaya'.
Later he left Lake House and while living an unmarried life devoted his time to writing books.
G.B. Senanayake was awarded the 'Sahithya Shoori' (literary doctrine) award by the Sri Jayawardanapura University in 1985.
During the later part of his life Senanayake started losing his eyesight. Yet notwithstanding, he didn't give up writing. 'Vinividimi Andura' is a book written during that time.
G.B. Senanayake died on 16 March 1985.