The hullabaloo that greeted the opening of the E01 in late 2011 may have been somewhat out of proportion to what one might expect a mere expressway would warrant – but while they’re common enough elsewhere, this was a first for Sri Lanka. The 128km of winding concrete ribbon made travelling from Kottawa in … Continue reading
Category Archives: Writers
Shashi Tharoor: An Interloper in Indian Politics
Dr. Shashi Tharoor is in between a sessions with Tom Stoppard and Nayantara Sahgal when I finally catch up with him in the library at Amangalla in Galle Fort. As his 1.2 million followers on twitter already know, he’s in Galle for GLF. His resume on the site is also handy in that it compresses … Continue reading
Richard Dawkins: ‘My driving force is a love of truth…’
I keep a wary eye peeled for religious fanatics and rabid atheists as I lead Dr. Richard Dawkins through the Governor’s Mansion in Galle. Both would only try to hijack my subject, (albeit for very different reasons) and I am intent on shepherding my charge through to where a modest verandah abuts a small garden. … Continue reading
Dr. R.O.B Wijesekera: ‘Clouds are not spheres, nor mountains cones’
“When one reaches the 80th year, one enters the realm of the legendary octogenarian,” writes Dr. R.O.B. Wijesekera. “There is little to look forward to, save the antics, memorable as they are, of grandkids; and then there looms the danger of ill-health, incapacitation and the manifestations of infirmity. In compensation, however, there is a world … Continue reading
Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish: “As a Palestinian, my life was a war.”
“As a Palestinian, my life was a war,” Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish is saying. “You expect the worst of tomorrow. You say, ‘Thank god, I am alive today, but I don’t know what will happen tomorrow’. ” His voice cracks a little on the last words as our internet connection falters and the video feed stutters. … Continue reading
Robert Crowther: Making Books Come to Life with Pop-ups
‘Paper engineering’ is a good description of what Robert Crowther does. A maker of fantastical, quirky pop-up books, the artist’s favourite readers are the reluctant children who pick up a pop-up without really knowing what’s inside. In his bestselling ABC, kids could pull tabs and lift flaps ‘to make frogs leap, hens peck, koalas climb, … Continue reading
Rajpal de Silva: A Tale of Two Baileys
Two men with the same name: both born in England in 1791, both members of the Church Missionary Society (CMS), both men who would return to England to die after many years in the colonies. One Benjamin Bailey would count the poet John Keats as a dear friend, perhaps even influencing the writing of Endymion. … Continue reading
Minnie Vaid: A Doctor to Defend
In the years since his arrest, Dr. Binayak Sen has won himself thousands of supporters, including the likes of Amartya Sen and Noam Chomsky. But perhaps the most determined among them has been a documentary film maker and journalist, Minnie Vaid. Minnie, who first heard of Dr. Binayak’s case in 2007, subsequently quit her job … Continue reading
Manju Kapur: Keeping it in the Family
Manju Kapur is quite happy to be dubbed a ‘chronicler of Indian families,’ but do feel free to choose any label that will float your boat. “My own feeling is, describe me any way you like, as long as I am relevant, as long as I am read, I don’t really care,” she says. The … Continue reading
D.B. Nihalsingha: The Life and Times of an Iconic Journalist
His pen might as well have been a scalpel. With a few well chosen words, D.B. Dhanapala could slice past pretence and posturing to lay his subject bare before you. He chose to write about prominent Sri Lankans who had been scholars, journalists, healers,artists and diplomats, but politicians were perhaps his favourite fodder of all. … Continue reading
Smriti Daniel 