Veteran journalist Srimal Abeyewardene passes away

Veteran journalist Srimal Abeyewardene passed away at the age of 79 on Wednesday in Toronto, Canada. He was a former staffer of the Daily News, with a journalistic career spanning nearly six decades.

His landmark achievement was the founding of The Sri Lanka Reporter, an award-winning English newspaper that catered to the Sri Lankan community in Canada. His vision and commitment to bridge the gaps among multi-ethnic Sri Lankan communities led to the success of this publication, making it one of the most lauded successes in Canadian ethnic media.

Abeyewardene embarked on his journalism journey in 1963 as a freelance sports reporter for the Daily News. He also served the Independent Newspapers Sun-Davasa Group and was also a correspondent for Moratuwa for several newspapers.

After he migrated to Canada in 1988, Abeyewardene founded The Sri Lanka Reporter in 1994. It swiftly grew to become the largest English Sri Lankan newspaper in North America. Additionally, he held the position of director at The National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada, contributing his expertise and insight to a broader ethnic media landscape.

An alumnus of St. Peter’s College, Colombo, Abeyewardene helped establish the first dedicated association for alumni in Ontario.