Ediriweera Sarachchandra

Ediriweera Sarachchandra (June 3, 1914 – August 30, 1996) was a renowned Sri Lankan playwright, author, and academic. He is considered the foremost dramatist in the Sinhala language and has been called the 'Shakespeare of Sri Lanka.' His most famous work, 'Maname' (1956), is considered the first modern Sinhala stage play and revolutionized Sri Lankan theater. He also wrote 'Sinhabahu,' another landmark play that explores Sri Lankan mythology. Sarachchandra studied at the University of Ceylon and later at the Sorbonne in Paris, where he earned his doctorate. He served as a professor at the University of Peradeniya and has been honored with numerous national and international awards for his contributions to Sri Lankan literature and theater.