Veteran journalist H.L.D. Mahindapala, a former Editor in Chief of the Sunday Observer and Observer (Daily) from 1990 to 1994 passed away at a private hospital on Tuesday. He was 93.
Don Mahindapala, who belonged to a different era in journalism shared the limelight with legendary figures in local English newspapers, such as Denzil Pieris and Clarence Fernando in the 50s. He migrated to Australia in the early 1970s when he was working as the News Editor of the Daily News.
In Australia, he took to writing and commentating on Sri Lankan affairs while he worked for an Australian Government agency in a bureaucratic capacity. His opinions on Sri Lankan and regional affairs were sought after and highly regarded by Australians and other followers of sub-continental affairs, and Sri Lankans abroad.
In 1990 he took up the job of Editor in Chief, Sunday Observer.
As the Sunday Observer chief editor he introduced a memorable style of journalism and was remembered as a columnist and editorialist with great literary panache and stylistic virtuosity. He was a patriot who defended the Motherland through his writings. He wrote editorials in simple, sharp language and readers eagerly looked forward to reading his editorials and columns. He was also a keen follower of history and contemporary politics, and was extremely well read, with a private library of easily more than a couple of thousand books.
He returned to Australia after his four-year stint as Editor Sunday Observer but continued to write well-received columns for Lake House and other English newspapers. He resettled in Sri Lanka around four years back with his wife Ranji who predeceased him by a couple of years. He was recently feted by the Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
His funeral took place on Friday in Colombo amid a large gathering of media personnel and friends.
