Tissa Abeysekara facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Deshabandu Tissa Abeysekara
තිස්ස අබේසේකර
Born	Tissa Ananda Abeysekara (1939-05-07)7 May 1939 Maharagama, Sri Lanka
Died	18 April 2009(2009-04-18) (aged 69) Colombo, Sri Lanka
Other names	Ananda Tissa de Fonseka
Education	Dharmapala Vidyalaya
Occupation	Film director/writer
Political party	Lanka Sama Samaja Party
Spouse(s)	Asanka Monarvilla (m. 1976)
Children	4
Awards	Gratiaen Prize (1996), Kala Suri (1998), Deshabandu (2005)

Tissa Ananda Abeysekara (born May 7, 1939 – died April 18, 2009) was a very talented person from Sri Lanka. He was a filmmaker, actor, writer, and director. He was especially famous for writing movie scripts and directing films.

In 1996, his book Bringing Tony Home won the important Gratiaen Prize. This award is given for new creative writing in English. He also helped lead the FOSWAL in Sri Lanka and received the SAARC Literary Award.

Tissa Abeysekara: A Creative Life

Tissa Abeysekara was a well-known figure in Sri Lankan arts. He made a big impact on the country's film industry. His work is still remembered and celebrated today.

Early Life and Family

Tissa Ananda Abeysekara was born in Maharagama, a town near Colombo, Sri Lanka. His full birth name was Tissa Ananda Abeysekara Gunaratne de Fonseka. His parents were Sir Arthur Solomon de Fonseka and Agnus de Fonseka.

He grew up in his family home called Greenlands in Havelock Town, Colombo. Tissa started school later than most kids, at age 11, because of his health. He first learned at home. Later, he went to Dharmapala Vidyalaya in Pannipitiya. There, he became the head student and even captained the school's soccer team.

Tissa was married to Asanka Monarvilla. They had a daughter named Svetlana and a son named Dimitra.

His Amazing Career in Film

Tissa Abeysekara started his career as a short-story writer when he was still in school. He wrote in the Sinhala language and had his stories published in national newspapers. His first collection of short stories was well-received.

A meeting with Dr. Lester James Peries in the early 1960s led him into the world of cinema. He stayed in the film industry for over 40 years.

Writing for the Big Screen

Tissa became known as a top scriptwriter in Sri Lanka. He wrote screenplays for many important films. Some of his most famous scripts include those for Nidhanaya and Welikathara. He also made more than 40 documentaries for the Government Film Unit.

Directing Great Movies

He later became a feature filmmaker. His first major film as a director was Karumakkarayo. This was followed by Mahagedara (1983) and Viragaya (1988). Viragaya was based on a novel that many thought could not be made into a film. It is now considered one of the best Sinhala films ever made.

Awards and Recognition

Tissa Abeysekara won many awards for his work. In 1978, he received the Presidential Award for Best Supporting Actor. This was for his small but memorable role in the film Veera Puran Appu.

In 1996, his short novel Bringing Tony Home won the Gratiaen Prize. This award is for the best creative writing in English by a Sri Lankan writer. He continued to write, mostly in English.

He was also the chairman of the National Film Corporation from 1999 to 2001. Later, he directed the Sri Lanka Television Training Institute. He served on the boards of several important cultural and educational organizations in Sri Lanka. In 2007, the University of Colombo gave him an honorary doctorate degree.

His Legacy

Tissa Abeysekara passed away on April 18, 2009, in Colombo. His funeral was attended by many people, showing how much he was respected. People remember him as a great artist who left a lasting mark on Sri Lankan cinema and literature.

In 2013, the Government of Sri Lanka released a special postage stamp to honor his memory.

National Honors

Tissa Abeysekara received several national honors for his contributions:

• 1998: Kala Suri State Honour for his work in film.
• 1998: Sarvodaya National Award, for his contributions to communication arts.
• 1998: Vishwaprasidini State Honour for his outstanding work in the arts.
• 2005: Ranathisara for Lifetime Achievement in Film in Sri Lanka.
• 2005: Deshabandu, a national honor from the Government of Sri Lanka.

Important Works

Tissa Abeysekara's work included many films and books.

Films He Worked On

Here are some of the films he was involved with:

Books He Wrote

He also wrote several books, including:

• Ipanella (short stories)
• Pitagamkarayo (novel)
• Ayale Giya Sithaka Satahan (essays)
• Rupa-Svarupa (an essay about film)
• Cinema Sithuvili (about the art of film)
• Bringing Tony Home (a story)
• In My Kingdom of the Sun and the Holy Peak (a collection of three stories)
• Roots, Reflections and Reminiscences (memories and thoughts)
• Wiragaya - Screenplay (1993)
• Guru Gedara - Screenplay (2011)