CITATION FOR BESTOW OF THE AWARD DOCTOR OF LITERATURE (D. Lit.) TO PROFESSOR EMERITUS ANANDA ABEYSIRIWARDENA RENDERED INTO ENGLISH BY HEMANTHA SITUGE

CITATION FOR

BESTOW OF THE AWARD

DOCTOR OF LITERATURE

(D. Lit.)

The name Ananda Abeysiriwardene has carved a niché in the annals of wisdom preceded in glamour, braveness that has spearhead for victory. He was destined to be born in this island on 20^th of November 1938, where he had his primary and his secondary education from several institutions of Southern Sri Lanka. That is in between 1944 and 1963 on the year 1964 he choosed Ceylon University College of Peradeniya commenced his University career. On the year 1968 Ananda was awarded a Sinhalese degree with Honours where his erudition in Sinhala echoed, re-echoed and it reverberated by achieving his degree in Masters in the year 1971. In the year 1987 he was bestowed the honour of achieving his Phd from the University of Kelaniya. This erudite savant was acclaimed to have an exponent in Pali Prakrit and Sanskrit languages by the achievement of his degree awarded as Rajakeeya Pandit bestowed by the Oriental Languages Society in 1974. Concurrently he was awarded Sri Pagngnananda award, and the Odirishamy Award for his scholarly achievements in 1983 he won the British Council scholarship and from Vidyodaya Piriven “Sri Sumangala Vidyathavansé” much coveted honourary degree in 2008.

From 1986 upto date he is known as a lecturer for the freshers of the Vidyodaya Pirivena. He also serves as a seminar lecturer for the Pracheena Pandit final year oriental students. He also functions as the Treasurer of the student body of the Vidyodaya. He also served/ serves as a visiting Lecturer for the University of Colombo, University of Ruhuna University of Sabaragamuwa, University of Pali and Buddhist of Sri Lanka and Aesthetic University and as a member of the said faculties, he also adorned as a director of the Aesthetic University. In the year 1969 when he commenced his career as an Assistant Lecturer in the University of Kelaniya, after achieving his Phd reaches the zenith of his career as a Senior Professor by rendering yeoman services. At the University of Kelaniya he has graced as the Head of the Faculty, as the Dean of Human Resources and as a member of the Senate. Apart from the educational sphere his ingress as the Chairman of the National Literature Sub Committee was in 2006. From the year 2004 on two occasions he functioned as the Chief Editor of the Sinhalese Dictionary has adorned by becoming instrumental on variety of 12 volumes of dictionaries as Professor Emeritus. He has made an enormous contribution as a resource person to the Sri Lanka Examinations Department, National Social Development Institution, Aquinas University College, Department of Cultural Affairs, Literature Advisory Board, Mahavansa Compilation Board, Sinhala Encyclopedia Office, Oriental Language Society, National Library and Services Board, Government Printing Corporation and National Languages Department. Apart from the Sinhala Dictionary he has written/ Authored over 100 of literary and scientific papers for reputed literary journals and has delivered erudite literary lectures specially to the Pali and the Buddhist University which is etched in their history from the year 1983 the date of inspection of the Buddhist and Pali University, and to the Vidyodaya Pirivena as a visiting lecturer and as an adviser and as a member and as a invigilator and as a writer his scientific contribution has bestowed like a mighty colossus in the said arena. Professor Emeritus Ananda  Abeysiriwardena is bestowed the honour of Doctor of Literature the Buddhist and Pali University from us for his aptly reputed credentials.