Ranjith Kumara

Aluthge Don Ranjith Kumara (රංජිත් කුමාර; 7 April 1947 – 10 May 2024) was a Sri Lankan film journalist and editor. One of the earliest pillars in Sinhala cinema journalism, Kumara contributed as an author, publisher, editor, feature writer, illustrator, art director and choreographer in a career which spanned over five decades.

As a cover designer, he designed over 300 cover pages for books. He worked as the editor of Sarasaviya, the longest surviving Sinhala cinema weekly newspaper for 25 years and the pioneer of Sarasaviya Awards, The Oscars of Sri Lanka. Kumara was the director, and member of the organising committee of the Sarasaviya Awards festival for a record 17 years, as well as the Sumathi Awards festival 20 years.

Career
When he was a small child, Kumara went to his father's printing press, where he met several renowned artists such as P.B. Alvis Perera, Piyadasa Palansuriya, Wilson Hagoda, Kapila Seneviratne and Ven. S. Mahinda Thero. This induced him to have an early interest to become a film journalist and composing articles. He used a scrapbook made by his mother to write his first few articles. His passion for cover designing came at early age, where he saw his uncle Gunaratne Mathupala worked as a commercial artiste in his father's press. Then his uncle and father sent Kumara to renowned artist S. P. Charles to study arts.

While in the school, Kumara designed his first book cover for the school magazine, "Anandaya" under the guidance of his teacher Berty Wijesinghe, where his designed logo is used even today. In the meantime, he made a short film called Vera with his school friends, where the premiere was held in the Lionel Wendt Theatre. Then in 1964, he designed book cover for Karunaratne Saputantri's book Pav Panduru at the age of 14. His first feature writing came through Dayawansa Jayakody's "Hela Bima" newspaper. In the meantime at the age of 18, he designed the film title for Nim Wallalla and continued to design titles for over 250 films across many genres. In the film Nim Wallalla, Kumara worked as the assistant director and art director, along with a group of Anandians: Ranjith Lal, Dilman Jayaratne, Gamini Wijetunga, Mahinda Algama, Bandula Padmakumara, Premakeerthi de Alwis, Kularatne Ariyawansa, Keerthi Balasuriya, Ratnasiri Rajapaksa and Sunil Madhava Prematilake. The film is highlighted as the first feature film made by a group of schoolchildren in Sri Lanka. Arthur U. Amarasena of "Vishithura" newspaper gave him the opportunity to write for a cinema newspaper. After that, he worked in Aryasena Kahavita's Cinemas Company's art paper and later in Rev. Fr. Ernest Poruthota's Doothaya paper.

In 1960, Kumara joined Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) and made Kanitu Sarasaviya program. In 1969, at the age of 22, he started to work as a journalist in Lakehouse. He composed several articles in the paper under the guidance of Edwin Ariyadasa. Then he started to design covers under the guidance of Newton Gunasekara. In 1975, Kumara made his cover designs exhibition in the Colombo Maritime Art Gallery. He continued to work in Lakehouse and Sarasaviya newspaper from 1969 to 1995. Then he became the editor of the Sarasi newspaper. In 1987, he wrote the book "Hela Cinemawe Sakvithi" about Gamini Fonseka to commemorate Fonseka's 50th birthday. Then in 2000, he wrote the book "Yugayake Swarna Geethaya" about Rukmani Devi. In 1994, Kumara became the editor of Yovun paper. As an author, his first novel Sanda Langa Tharu was published in 2005 and then wrote Kosgas Handiye Kolu Getaya and published to celebrate his 55th birthday. In 2007, he started to compile a book on the history of the film industry from 1947 to 1956. At the same time, Kumara worked as the marketing manager and feature writer of "Lakbima" newspaper.

As a cover designer, Kumara designed the cover pages and abstract arts for several renowned authors including, Martin Wickramasinghe, Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra, Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera, Madawala S. Ratnayake and Leel Gunasekera. He is the cover designer for all the book covers of K. Jayatillake.

Personal life
Ranjith Kumara was born on 7 April 1947 in Kosgas Handiya, Grandpass, Ceylon as the eldest child of a family of four siblings. His father Aluthge Don Edmund from Santabastia, was a printer, publisher and a film producer. His mother G. Kusumavathi Perera was a tailor, but died when Kumara was only 14 years old. Kumara was educated at Carey College and later Ananda College in Colombo. His father and uncle produced several stage plays such as Kaniwal, Game Veda and Heensaraya.

Kumara had two younger brothers: Sarath Kumara, Wasantha Kumara, and one younger sister, Priyanlatha. His mother studied at Rajagiriya Military College and his father studied at Ananda College, Colombo. His mother was good at arts, where she participated in elocution competitions and essay competitions and won prizes from the Welikada Youth Buddhist Association.

Kumara was married to veteran songstress Damayanthi Jayasuriya, where the marriage was celebrated on 29 May 1975. The couple has one son: Dr. Nuwan Nayanajith Kumara, who is also a journalist, film critic, and author as well as the Sarasaviya Editor.

Death
Kumara died on 10 May 2024, at the age of 77, while receiving treatments at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka. His remains were kept at Mahinda Funeral parlour in Mount Lavinia for two hours from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 am on 11 May. The body was then handed over to General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University at 10:00 am.

Awards and accolades

 * Ranapala Bodhinagoda Memorial Award at the Sarasaviya Awards.
 * Cyril B. Perera Memorial Award at the SIGNIS Awards.
 * SIGNIS OCIC Award for the cartoon drawing in Newa Gilunath Ban Choon in 1989.
 * U.W. Sumathipala Memorial Award in 2015.
 * Life Time Achievement Award at 23rd Annual Journalism Awards in 2022.