Prof. (Dr.) Iranga Samindani Weerakkody

Prof. (Dr.) Iranga Samindani Weerakkody

Director - C. de S. Kulathilake Archival & Research Unit | Senior Lecturer (Grade II)

Faculty of Music
Department of Musicology

Qualifications:

PhD. (Cultural Studies- Music), USJP., MPhil (Cultural Studies- Music), USJP., MA (Mass Communication), Kelaniya., MA (Buddhist Ayurvedic Counseling), Kelaniya., PG Dip. in Writer ship and Communication, USJP., BFA (Special), First Class, Kelaniya., “Sangeetha Visharadh” degree from the Bhatkande University of Lucknow, India.

Profile:

Prof. (Dr.) Iranga Samindani Weerakkody is the immediate former Head of the Department of the department of Musicology in the Faculty of Music. Iranga Samindani has been awarded a PhD from the University of Sri Jayawardenepura in 2017.

Research Interests:

Folklore, Ethnomusicology, Cultural Studies, Musicology and Music Education.

Publications:

  • GUWANVIDULIYA SAHA SANGEETHAYA [The Radio and Music], 2008, Author Publication
  • DARU MUTHUWEL [A Collection of Children’s Songs] 2010, Author Publication
  • NALAWILI GEEYEN NIRUPITHA SINHALA JANASRUTHIYA (Sinhalese Folklore Represented Through Lullabies) 2013, S. Godage and Brothers [Published with a grant of the National Archives and Documentation center]
  • SRI LANKAWE MUHUDU VEDDO (Coastal Veddas in Sri Lanka) 2013, [with K. R. Premaweera] S. Godage and Brothers [published with a grant of the National Archives and Documentation center]
  • DARU MUTHUWEL [A Collection of Children’s Songs] 2013 – 2nd Edition, Women’s Co-operative Publications.
  • PADIMU PADIMU API RAN ONCHILLA [The folklore related to the Onchillawa and Onchili-waram] 2015, Janamihira Creations.
  • Editor of SANVIDA [A collection of articles on Musicology] 2015, University of the Visual and Performing Arts, ISBN 978-955-0322-04-6
  • LAKDIVA SANGEETHA ADYAPANAYE GAMAN MAGA (Evolution of Sri Lankan Music Education) 2015, Janamihira Creations.
  • JANA SANGEETHA VIMARSHANA – 1st Place (Colombo District Literary Competition 2016) 2017, Janamihira Creations.
  • KARATHTHA KAVI KATHANDARE – 1st Place (Colombo District Literary Competition 2016) Author Publication, 2017
  • EKAS BERE KATHANDARE – Author Publication, 2018
  • Editor of JANASHRUTHI VIMARSHANA [A collection of articles on Folklore Studies] 2019, University of the Visual and Performing Arts, ISSN 2682-7301
  • Editor of ABSTRACTS [A collection of articles on Folklore Studies] 2019, University of the Visual and Performing Arts, ISBN 978-955-0322-12-1
  • Editor of JANASHRUTHIVEDAYA [A collection of extended Abstracts on Folklore Studies and Cultural Studies] 2020, University of the Visual and Performing Arts, ISBN 978-955-0322-17-6
  • SRI LANKAWE BAUDDA JANA SANSKRUTHIYEHI NIRUPITHA PATHTHINI WALAPUMA, 2021, Janamihira Creations.
  • WAHAKOTTE PASAN GAAYANA SHAILIYA, 2021, Janamihira Creations.
  • SRI LANKEYA JANA GAYANA, 2021, Janamihira Creations.
  • JANA SAHITHYAYA: WALAPUM GAYANA SAMPRADAYA, 2021, Janamihira Creations.
  • NADAGAM RANGAKALAWA, 2021, Janamihira Creations.

Awards:

Award: Received award for Prashastha Lama Kruthiya (Best Children’s Book) at the Buddhist Literary Festival 2018 at the BMICH held by the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress and the Ministry of Bhuddha Saasana of Sri Lanka, Colombo 07.

Weerakkody, I. S. (2017). Karaththa Kavi Kathandare (1st ed.). Author Publications. (ISBN 978-955-50256-4-5)
Award: Received the award (title) Kalaabhimaani Gaurava Naama Sammanaya at the Literary Arts Festival 2021 held by the Divisional Secretariat Office of Thimbirigasyaya.
Award: Received the award (scholarship) Mahinda Chinthana Asidisi Maadya Shishyathwaya in the year 2008 from the Ministry of Mass Media and Information to follow a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.
Award: Received the award of a Ph.D. Grant for three years of Rs.250,000 per year by the National Center for Advanced Studies (NCAS) (Grant Applications of 13/14) of the Ministry of Higher Education. (2014/2015/2016)
Award: Received the award Kalaa Bhuushana Sammanaya for services to Music and Literary Arts in the year 2016 at the Literary Arts Festival 2016 organized by the Divisional Secretariat, Moratuwa.
Award: Received a grant from the National Archives and Documentation Center to publish a research related publication

Weerakkody, I. S. (2013). Nalawili Geeyen Nirupitha Sinhala Janasruthiya (1st ed.). S. Godage and Brothers. (ISBN 978-955-30-3974-3)
Award: Received a grant from the National Archives and Documentation Center to publish a research related publication

Weerakkody, I. S., Premaweera, K. R., (2013). Sri Lankawe Muhudu Veddo (1st ed.). S. Godage and Brothers. (ISBN 978-955-30-4398- 6)
Award: Received a grant from the National Archives and Documentation Center to publish a research related publication

Weerakkody, I. S. (2017). Jana Sangeetha Vimarshana (1st ed.). Janamihira Nirmana Publications. (ISBN 978-955-7774-06-0)
Award: Received a grants from the National Archives and Documentation Center to publish to children’s publication

Weerakkody, I. S. (2017). Karaththa Kavi Kathandare (1st ed.). Author Publications. (ISBN 978-955-50256-4-5)
Award: Received a grants from the National Archives and Documentation Center to publish to children’s publication

Weerakkody, I. S. (2018). Ekas Bere Kathandare (1st ed.). Author Publications. (ISBN 978-955-50256-5-2)
Award: Received the award of a Grant for one year by the University of the Visual and Performing Arts to follow a Master’s Degree at the Post-graduate Institute of Buddhist and Pali University.
Award: Received the award of a Grant of Rs.89,000 and 1084 USD (total amount of Rs.269,266) by the University of the Visual and Performing Arts to attend the 6th International Folklore Congress in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2018

 

Achievements:

Member of the Council of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts as a Senate Nominee (2018-2020).
Appointed as the Chairman of the Mediation Board 279 – Thimbirigasyaya (01st of October, 2020 – to date) (One-and-a-half Years) by the Mediation Boards Commission.
Member of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka (RASSL) (Life member since 2012) (Membership number: L 1126).
Member of the Archaeological Society of Sri Lanka (Life member since 2016) (Membership number: 611).
Member of the International Committee of Traditional Music (Membership since 2021 January to 2022 December).
Member of the National Expert Committee on Traditional Knowledge established by the Ministry of Mahaveli Development and Environment
Member of the Inter-Religious Committee organized by the National Peace Organization (from 2021 onwards to date).
Coordinator of “Music Beyond Borders”, a collaborative performance done with the University of Kelaniya for the International Conference on Humanities held by the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (2019).
Chief Coordinator of International Musicology Research Conference, held by the Department of Musicology, Faculty of Music, University of the Visual and Performing Arts, Sri Lanka (2019).
Panelist of “Retrospective Memory and Space, ICH” at the Internal Conference on Humanities ICH, held by the Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (2021).
Steering Committee Member and Local Organizing Committee Member of “South Asian Regional Conference” held by the International Society for Music Education (ISME) and the University of the Visual and Performing Arts collaboratively (2021).
Panelist of “Revaluing the Humanities: Humanities’ Values and the Value of Humanities” at the Internal Conference on Humanities ICH, held by the Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (2019).
Chairperson of “International Conference on Intangible Cultural Heritage” held by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka (2020).
Resource Person and Advisor for the “Folklore and Cultural Activities section” of the Sabaragamuwa Province Tourism Project conducted by the Sanasa International corporation (2020).
Appointment and working as an All-Island Justice of Peace appointed by the Ministry of Justice for over 13 years (2009 onwards).