Sydney Chandrasekara

Sydney Chandrasekara (; 15 January 1959 – 14 November 2020) was a Sri Lankan journalist, lyricist, director and a prominent media personality. One of the iconic figures of Sri Lankan media, Chandrasekara contributed to several television programs over a career spanning more than four decades.

Personal life He was born on 15 January 1959 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He was educated at Ananda College, Colombo.

Chandrasekara died in hospital on 14 November 2020, at the age of 61, following a brief illness.

Career He is a senior journalist as well as a television program producer and lyricist who worked extensively in Sri Lankan media. After school he joins Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC), had the privilege of being mentored by the pioneer of Sri Lankan dubbing, Titus Thotawatte. Ninety per cent of the drama was shot inside SLRC, becoming the first ever studio production of a teledrama at that time. In the drama, popular musician Clarence Wijewardena sung the song "Aetha Epita Hima Kanden", which became a milestone in Sinhala teledrama history. The drama still holds a record for its earnings for SLRC including limited number of episodes, maximum spectator response and attraction.

After the success of Nidikumba, he made several popular television serials including: Kumarayaneni, Piyabana Assaya, Samudra Chaya and Pembarayaneni. In 2005, after Tsunami disaster, he composed the song We Shall Rebuild which was later sung by Bathiya and Santhush and Ashanthi De Alwis. He also directed the serial A-9 Mei Paaren Enna telecast on Sirasa TV. During this period, he brought the concept of the popular program Dawasa among the audience. Then he made the television political comedy Good Bad Ugly which revealed the hidden reality of Sri Lankan politics. He made several contributions towards News First Gammadda program. Meanwhile, he also wrote theme songs for dubbed teledramas such as Me Adarayay, Prema Dadayama, Digvijaya and Ananthen Aa Tharu Kumara. Apart from them, he also created the song Mage Mawbimai for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka. The Vanitha Bhimana theme song launched by News First to empower the courageous women of Sri Lanka was also composed by Chandrasekara.

He was an advisor to Newsfirst section of Sirasa TV during his demise. His hosted the program Sundara Birinda, which interviewed the wives of veteran artists, was also very popular on TV One.

Filmography Year Film Role Ref. 2018 Udumbara Sound combination, lyricist