Professor Wimal Dissanayake, who established mass communication as an academic discipline in Sri Lanka and became a leading authority on Asian cinema and communication theory, has passed away in Hawaii.
Professor Wimal Dissanayake, recognized as Sri Lanka's first professor of mass communication, died in Hawaii at the age of 86. Born in Kurunegala on September 6, 1939, Dissanayake completed his early education at Trinity College, Kandy, followed by undergraduate studies at the University of Peradeniya.
Dissanayake pursued advanced studies at two prestigious international institutions—the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Cambridge—before returning to establish himself as a foundational figure in Sri Lankan academia. His most significant contribution came through his work at the University of Kelaniya, where he served as the founding head of the Department of Mass Communication, effectively introducing the discipline as a formal field of study in the country.
Beyond his role in establishing mass communication education in Sri Lanka, Dissanayake built an international reputation as a scholar of Asian cinema, communication theory, and cultural studies. He authored numerous academic publications throughout his career and held the position of head at the Institute for Culture and Communication at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, reflecting his influence across academic institutions in the region. He was also recognized for his creative writing and literary criticism contributions to the field.
