Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

Going places
By Esther Williams
She is a young achiever, Deepamala Abeysekera who says she uses every opportunity that life has to offer. Deepamala has just returned from Chennai having obtained her post graduate diploma in journalism, specialising in broadcasting from the Asian College of Journalism. She was fortunate to have been selected to represent her country and receive a grant amounting to SLR 600,000 from the South Asia Foundation (SAF) towards the full scholarship.

The intensive course prepared her for news preparation, presentation, anchoring, interviewing and reporting on camera, researching and scripting documentaries, video editing, filming and audio mixing. Special emphasis was made of the needs of developing countries in Asia during the programme.

Recounting her experiences in Chennai, Deepamala says, “I can’t believe that one of the most brilliant and eventful chapters of my life has come to an end.” She had forged strong bonds with fellow journalists from the SAARC countries. Since she received the second place among the SAF scholars, she is now entitled to go to Pakistan and Bangladesh to do a documentary on regional cooperation with focus on women’s empowerment through the Grameen Bank.

Deepamala received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics and Management in 2002 through an external programme from the London School of Economics. She then did a Diploma in journalism at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute where she received the Best Performer’s award.

School days at Visakha Vidyalaya, her alma mater saw Deepamala display her capabilities as Vice President of the English Literary Association and Treasurer of the Sinhala Oratory competition.

She was awarded a bronze medal at UNESCO’s 22nd International Art competition and also studied piano, flute and theory at the Royal School of Music, London and played in the National Youth Orchestra. Her musical talent did not end there as she took classes in Ragadhari Bathkandi (Hindustani Music). Playing the third witch in Macbeth as a member of the Workshop Players is among her most cherished moments.

The 22-year-old journalist leaves shortly for Hamburg, Germany to participate in the Summer Academy for Young Journalists 2003 at the International Institute of Journalism. She is one among 25 participants awarded the scholarship from across the globe.

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