The 23rd Edition of the Journalism Awards for Excellence 2021, jointly organized by The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka (TEGOSL) and the Sri Lanka Press Institute was held on Tuesday, 13 December, 2022 in the Empire Ballroom of the Mt. Lavinia Hotel. The Chief Guest of the event was Sunday Island Editor Mr. Manik de Silva and was also graced by many prominent journalists and media professionals.
Over fifty awards and merit certificates were presented in appreciation of the outstanding service of the journalists for the year 2021. An independent panel of judges comprising media practitioners and academics picked the recipients in the three language streams – Sinhala, Tamil and English. Lifetime Achievements were presented to Mr. Daya Lankapura, Mr. A. D. Ranjith Kumara, Mr. P. Manikavasagam, Mrs. Chitra Weerarathna, and Mr. P. B. Elangasinha for their tireless efforts on behalf of the Sri Lankan media.
The Winners at the Journalism Awards for Excellence 2021 are as follows:
Mervyn De Silva Journalist of the Year
Winner
Mr. Supathum Asiri Fernando – The Sunday Morning
Merit
Mr. I. Robert Antony, Joint Merit – Virakesari Daily
Mr. Kasthuri Arachchige Sumudu Chamara, Joint Merit – The Morning
Scoop of the Year
Not Awarded
Best Health Care and Medical Reporter of the year – Sinhala
Winner
Ms. Illankoon Arachchilage Sureka Nilmini Illankoon – Silumina
Merit
Ms. Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Harshani Dilrukshi Dissanayake – Sathi Aga Aruna
Best Health Care and Medical Reporter of the year – Tamil
Winner
Ms. Mohamad Hussain Fathima Husna – Thinakkural
Merit – Not Awarded
Best Health Care and Medical Reporter of the year – English
Winner
Mr. Kasthuri Arachchige Sumudu Chamara -The morning
Merit – Not Awarded
Sports Journalists of the Year – Sinhala
Winner
Mr. Prince Gunasekara – Dinamina
Merit
Mr. Subasinghe Arachchige Chathura Indrajith Subasinghe – Aruna
Sports Journalists of the Year – Tamil
Winner
Mr. Ehamparam Ravivarmah – Thamilan
Merit – Not Awarded
Sports Journalists of the Year – English
Winner
Mr. Anjana Kalhara Kaluarachchi – Ceylon Today
Merit – Not Awarded
Business Journalist of the Year – Sinhala
NO APPLICATIONS
Business Journalist of the Year – Tamil
Winner
Mr. I Robert Antony – Virakesari Daily
Merit – Not Awarded
Business Journalist of the Year – English
Winner
Ms. Madhusha Thavapalakumar – The Sunday Morning
Merit – Not Awarded
Prof. K Kailasapathy Award for reporting under special Circumstances – Sinhala
Winner – Not Awarded
Merit
Mr. Thisari Nadesh Athukorala- Irida Lankadeepa
Prof. K Kailasapathy Award for reporting under special Circumstances – Tamil
Winner
Mr. R. Ramkumar – Virakesari Weekly
Merit – Not Awarded
Prof. K Kailasapathy Award for reporting under special Circumstances – English
Winner – Not Awarded
Merit – Not Awarded
B A Siriwardena Columnist of the Year – Sinhala
Winner
Mr. Kapila Kumara Kalinga – Deshaya
Merit
Ms. Harshinie Pushpamala Arachchige – Lanka
B A Siriwardena Columnist of the Year – Tamil
Winner
Mr. Abdul Raheem Abdul Fareel – Vidivelli
Merit
Mr. Sivalingam Sivakumaran – Virakesari Weekly
B A Siriwardena Columnist of the Year – English
Winner – Not Awarded
Merit
Mr. Dilshani Palugaswewa – Ceylon Today
Subramaniyam Chettiar for Reporting of Social Issues
Winner
Mr. Olanga Arachchige Sampath Ishara Rathnakaraa – Aruna
Merit Joint
Mr. Vadivel Shakthivel, Joint Merit – Tamil Mirror
Mr. Kasthuri Arachchige Sumudu Chamara, Joint Merit – The Morning
Upali Wijewardena Feature Writer of the Year – Sinhala
Winner
Mr. Hewarathnage Tharanga Rathnaweera – Irida Divaina
Merit
Mr. Saman Priyankara Nammunige – Mawbima
Upali Wijewardena Feature Writer of the Year – Tamil
Winner – Joint Winner
- Mr. Sivalingam Sivakumaran, Joint Winner – Virakesari
- Mr. Robery Antony, Joint Winner – Virakesari
Merit – Not Awarded
Upali Wijewardena Feature Writer of the Year – English
Winner
Mr. Kasthuri Arachchige Sumudu Chamara – The Morning
Merit – Not Awarded
Investigative Journalist of the Year
Winner
Ms. Hewa Fonsekage Piyumi Kanchana Fonseka – Daily Mirror
Merit
Mr. R. Ramkumar – Virakesari Weekly
Denzil Peiris Young Reporter of the Year
Winner
Ms. Muthuthanthrige Heshani Amandika Cooray – Anidda
Merit
Ms. Tharushi Weerasinghe – The Sunday Times
Best Environmental Reporter of the Year – Sinhala
Winner
Mrs. K. Subashini Chandima Jayaratna – Silumina
Merit
Mrs. Reka Tharangani Fonseka – Lankadeepa
Best Environmental Reporter of the Year – Tamil
Winner
Mr. Muththu Marikkar Mohammed Marlin – Thinakkaran
Merit – Not Awarded
Best Environmental Reporter of the Year – English
Winner
Ms. Faadhila Thassim – Ceylon Today
Merit – Not Awarded
Best Designed Newspaper of the Year – Sinhala
Winner
Design Team – Silumina
Merit – Not Awarded
Best Designed Newspaper of the Year – Tamil
Winner
Design Team – Thinakkural
Merit – Not Awarded
Best Designed Newspaper of the Year – English
Winner
Design Team – Weekend FT
Merit – Not Awarded
Cartoonist of the Year – Sinhala
Winner
Mr. Wijenayake Pathirana Prasad Hasantha – Aruna
Merit – Not Awarded
Cartoonist of the Year – Tamil
Winner
Mr. Amaraperumage Namal Madhushanka Amarasinghe – Tamil Mirror
Merit – Not Awarded
Cartoonist of the Year – English
Winner
Mr. Amaraperumage Namal Madhushanka Amarasinghe – Daily Mirror
Merit – Not Awarded
Photojournalist of the Year
Winner
Mr. Eshan Fernando – The Sunday Times
Merit – Not Awarded
Best News/Feature Using RTI – Sinhala
Winner
Mr. Arachchilage Gedara Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa – Silumina
Merit – Not Awarded
Best News/Feature Using RTI – Tamil
Winner
Mr. Karuppaiya Prasanna Kumar – Thinakkural
Merit – Not Awarded
Best News/Feature Using RTI – English
Winner – Not Awarded
Merit – Not Awarded
Best Designed News Website – Sinhala
Winner
www.lankadeepa.lk
Merit
www.aruna.lk
Best Designed News Website – Tamil
Winner
www.metronews.lk
Merit
www.mithran.lk
Best Designed News Website – English
Winner
www.dailymirror.lk
Merit
Sepala Gunasena Award for Defending Press Freedom in Sri Lanka
Not Awarded
- R. Wijewardene Award for Earning the Recognition of Peers and the Public
Mr. D. B. S. Jeyaraj