Launch of Mahawansa Pradeepikawa

Date: 16 May 2026
Venue: Banku Vidu Piyasa Auditorium, Rajagiriya
Author: Isura Wickramarachchi
Chief Guest: Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa

16 May 2026 became one of the most important and memorable days of my life. After nearly a decade of research, collecting information, comparing historical sources, creating visual reconstructions and developing the structure and design of the publication, my book "Mahawansa Pradeepikawa" was officially launched before a distinguished gathering in Rajagiriya.

My objective in creating Mahawansa Pradeepikawa was to present the long and complex history of Sri Lanka in a form that could be understood more easily by general readers, students and those interested in studying history. During its development, I consulted more than 300 sources and created over 170 royal family trees, nearly 200 reconstructed portraits of historical rulers and personalities, and more than 200 full-page illustrations, maps and other visual references. The completed work extends to approximately 650 full-colour pages. QR technology was also incorporated into the publication to connect the traditional printed book with additional digital information.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa attended the launch as the Chief Guest, adding special significance to the occasion. A large gathering of members of the Maha Sangha also attended, together with academics, political representatives, school friends, long-time friends and many others who had been connected with different stages of my life and work.

The academic and invited addresses included contributions from Dr. Ishanka Malsiri, Head of the Department of Archaeology at the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, Professor Induragare Dhammaratana Thero of the University of Kelaniya, and former Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne. Their presence helped make the event not simply a ceremonial book launch, but an occasion that also focused attention on history, heritage and the importance of carrying knowledge of the past to future generations.

Traditional cultural performances were also part of the programme. Together with the speeches, visual presentations and introduction of the book, these elements gave the event a strong connection to Sri Lankan history and cultural identity.

For me, however, the true importance of the day went far beyond publishing a book. Behind the finished volume were years spent searching for information, examining old sources, comparing different accounts, making corrections, creating portraits, constructing family trees and carefully developing hundreds of pages. On that day, something that had existed for years as research, files, images, notes and an idea in my mind was finally there in front of me as a completed book.

It was equally meaningful to look around the auditorium and see people who had been part of different periods of my life gathered in one place. Friends from my school days, long-time associates, scholars, members of the clergy and many others had come together to share a moment that represented nearly ten years of my personal journey.

Mahawansa Pradeepikawa therefore represents much more to me than a publication. It is the physical result of my long-standing passion for Sri Lankan history and my attempt to transform that passion into something that can be used by others. For that reason, 16 May 2026 will remain one of the defining milestones of my life as an author and as a student of Sri Lanka's history.