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= Dayasena Gunasinghe = Dayasena Gunasinghe (Tamil: தயசேன குணசிங்க) (Sinhalese:දයාසේන ගුණසිංහ) (13th June 1936– 07th October 1996) was a well-known Sri Lankan journalist, author, poet and lyricist, who contributed Lankan journalism in many ways.

Early Life
Dayasena Gunasinghe was born in Ingiriya, Colombo, Sri Lanka. He received his early education in Mathugama Ananda Vidyalaya and Horana Sripali  Vidyalaya

Having graduated in the Arts Faculty of the University of Peradeniya, he chose to work as a teacher which he concluded after three years.

Professional Life
He joined with the Associated Newspapers Ceylon Ltd. and was a member of the editorial boards of Ceylon Daily News and Silumina Sinhalese weekly. In 1981 he joined the .Upali Newspapers Ltd. where he was assigned to the editorial board of Divaina Irida Sangrahaya, the newly launched Sinhalese weekly. He worked with the editor Edmund Ranasinghe who was the founding editor of the newspaper.

Newspaper Editor
After Edmund Ranasinghe, Gunasinghe was appointed as the chief of the Divaina editorial board. Most of the colleagues worked with him and the scholars those analysed the journalistic value of the Divaina Irida Sangrahaya agree that the Sinhalese weekly was at best position, during Gunasinghe's time as the editor in chief. He was critical of the social injustices and was not reluctant to criticize leaders in journalism he practiced. Ultimately this valiant nature of his character caused the end of his career as the editor in chief of the Divaina Iriada Sangrahaya.

Author, Poet & Lyricist
Dayasena Gunasinghe is one of the acclaimed writers who contributed to forge the contemporary Sinhalese short story and poetry as well.

The poems he wrote are also considered unique during a time of brewing political uprisings in the north and south of the island. Ranthatiyaka Kandulu(රන් තැටියක කදුළු), was his first anthology published in 1974 which won the state literary festival in that year. Nowandimi Siduhath(නොවඳිමි සිදුහත්) and Doramandalawa (දොරමඬලාව) in 1991 the next two anthologies of his poetry.

His best short stories are published as to collections, 'Kanal Pare Nishacharayo'(කැනල් පාරේ නිශාචරයෝ') claimed the state literary award for the best short story collection in 1986 and 'Kethumathi Hotalaye Rathriyak'(කේතුමතී හෝටලයේ රාත්‍රියක්) was awarded as the best collection in 1990. He was also a translator of world literature. He translated the A Man of People by Chinua Achebe (පොදු ජනයාගේ මිනිහෙක්), and the Princess by the River (නදී තෙර කුමරිය).

Columnist
During his time in Divaina editorial his fame developed as a satirical political columnist, writing under different pen names. The popular columns were 'Raigamrala' (රයිගම් රාළ), Ghost Reporter (භූත රිපෝටර්), 'Lunaticca' (ලුනටික්කා), The Eagle (උකුස්සා), 'Ranarala' (රණරාළ), 'Sangura' (සංගුරා) and they were full of criticism on the ruling United National Party government. At a time the government's deteriorating popularity and the inability to address key issues of the society, Gunasinghe was valiant in attacking the malpractices and anti democratic steps taken by the politicians like former president J.R. Jayewardhene.

Resignation
During that time when armed actions of the northern Tamil groups culminated into a separatist war, common people are terrorized by bombs exploded at some places of the south. President Jayawardhana at a public rally declared that people have to find protection by themselves.

The next week Dayasena Gunasinghe wrote an editorial commenting that it is in anarchy times people have to find protection themselves. When a state is functioning its responsibility is to provide security to the citizens and if anybody proclaims that is a responsibility rested upon citizens themselves it is nothing but sheer irresponsibility, he wrote.

Next, he was sent on compulsory leave from the Upali Newspapers Ltd. and the reason for the decision was unofficially believed to be the pressure on the newspaper company management by the powerful secretary of the former president J.R. Jayawardhana. It is discussed in the media circles in Colombo that president Jayawardhana became infuriated by the sharp attack on him the president has personally contacted a higher person in the Upali Newspapers Ltd. and demanded a punishment to the person who wrote it. The newspapers company had no alternatives but to submissively agree and sent him on compulsory leave, until further notice. Gunasinghe with an understanding of the developments taking place, handed over his resignation and came home.

Difficult Times
After this dreadful incident Gunasinghe undergoing a difficult time. He was a father of two sons and a daughter, it was impossible to survive without any means of living. Many other media institutions offered him to join their editorial staff, but as a man who believed in the professional esteem, he never wanted to face the same experience that he tasted bitter.

Later Gunasinghe was invited by a newspaper company to start a periodical digest. He accepted the invitation and started Sivdesa, Sinhalese monthly digest in which he was the editor in chief. While he was working there he gave full complement to the young journalists and authors who came to him.

Death
After a short illness he died on the 7th October 1996 in Maharagama.