Identities - Roar Media

Artist In Exile: Aubrey Collette

Cresside Collette grew up in Australia, far removed from the world of her father, Aubrey Collette, a renowned Ceylonese political cartoonist and artist, who was a founding member of the country’s ’43 Group. Forced to leave Ceylon in 1961 due to increasing hostility towards his political cartoons, Collette lived the rest of his life in Australia, where he died in 1992.

Despite an impressive career, the exile from Sri Lanka left Collette “heartbroken”. The talent, learned artistry and political voice of his cartoons captured a pivotal moment in the country’s early history — and nobody knows how much more he would have added to his legacy, if he didn’t have to leave when he did.

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The Interracial Couple Helping To Bring Down Language Barriers

When Indrajith Kumara enrolled in Jaffna University 8 years ago, he barely spoke a word of Tamil. Originally from Kurungala, he set out to learn the language as quickly and as fluently as possible in order to adapt to life in Jaffna.

Snakes On A Motorbike

Snakes have a bad reputation. But this man is out to change that. Meet Sampath Thushara Chandrasiri, also known as the ‘Snake Guardian’, who rescues unwelcome reptilian visitors and releases them back into the wild.

Jayawewa! The Story Of A Lottery Ticket Seller

The COVID-19 pandemic struck the lottery ticket business an immense blow. But this one man is trying on something different. D L Anura Kumarasiri has been part of the industry for almost 15 years now and brings a uniqueness to the profession that goes unnoticed by many of us. This is the story of ‘Jayawewa’.

Here’s How Merrill J. Fernando Built A Sri Lankan Tea Empire

From the ashes of a colonial era, Merrill J. Fernando built a tea empire, founded on passion, quality, and an unmatched love for tea.
The first to take single-origin Sri Lankan tea to 100 countries around the world, this is the story of Dilmah in the words of Merrill J. Fernando himself.

The Sri Lankan Grandmother Who Got Her Masters In Political Science At 87

“Do your degrees, not just for career’s sake – it should be something that should be life-changing. You should think, not about yourself all the time, but think of your country, think of the world.”

Murder Mystery: The death of Shirley Boonwaat

“Was the perfect murder carried out in Sri Lanka five decades ago?” The murder in question is that of Shirley Boonwaat, who was murdered at her residence on the 15th of October 1967, near the Liberty Cinema on Dharmapala Mawatha (then Turret Road). The alleged culprit was her husband, the then Burmese Ambassador W. K. H. Sao Boonwaat, who may have gotten away with the crime due to his diplomatic immunity. At the time, the Ambassador’s home was known as ‘Carlton Lodge’ — revamped in the recent past to become the high-end Capri Club restaurant.

Flabulous and Flaunting It: Ranjula Herath’s Body Positive Brand

“I was born overweight,” Ranjula Herath told Roar Media with some amusement. “The first thing the doctor did was to weigh me, and I was 5.1 kg — overweight!”

How Lasith Malinga Changed The Game

Following his retirement last month from all formats of cricket, Sri Lanka’s most defining voices in cricket look back on Lasith Malinga’s 17-year career, which saw him become one of the greatest limited-over bowlers of all time.

Umar: Painting With A Cricket Bat

An artist’s primary tool is usually a pencil, pen or paintbrush. But not for 24-year-old Mohammad Umar.

The Boy Who Built A Disability-friendly, Solar-powered Tuk-tuk

Fifteen-year-old Suntharalingam Prinavan has always wanted to be a scientist and help people.

Olympics 2020: Sri Lanka At The Paralympics

The Paralympics are currently underway in Tokyo, and Sri Lanka’s nine-member team has already made history.