Martin Wickramasinghe (b. 1890 - d. 1976) Sri Lankan writer, known for writing acclaimed novels like Gamperaliya, and Madol Doova.
Wickramasinghe was born on May 29, 1890, in the village of Koggala, in Sri Lanka, the only son of Lamahewage Don Bastian Wickramasinghe, and Magalle Blapitiya Liyanage Thochchohamy. Koggala was bounded on one side by a reef, and on the other by a large lake into which the numerous tributaries of the Koggala Oya drained. The landscapes of the sea, lake studded with little islands, the flora and fauna, the forested hinterland, and the changing patterns of life and culture of the people of the village were the background of his early years, that Martin Wickramasinghe later immortalized in his novels and short stories and autobiographical writings.
Wickramasinghe started going to school in 1900, at Buonavista School in Galle, Sri Lanka. His father died a year later, and he had to leave the school in 1902, due to financial problems. He wrote his first book that year titled "Balopadeshaya" (Advice to Children), on the urging of the monk Koggala Deerananda Thero, and his mother, who were trying to discipline him.
Two years later, in 1904, Wickramasinghe started going to school again, this time to a school in Ahangama, Sri Lanka. In 1906, he dropped out of school to work as a bookkeeper in a shop in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The following year, he left the shop to join a commissions agency. In 1910, his mother died.
In 1914, Wickramasinghe published his first book Leela, and lost his job, causing him to return to Koggala. He moved to Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, the following year, to become a bookkeeper again. In 1916, he started to write for the newspaper "Dinamina" under the pen name "Hethu Vaadi", and joined its Editorial Staff in 1920, the same year he wrote his second novel Soma.
Wickramasinghe followed Soma with Iranganie and Seetha in 1923, and Miringu Diya in 1925, marrying his wife Kataluwe Balage Prema de Silva that year, on the 30th of November. The two moved to Mt. Lavinia, Sri Lanka soon after their marriage, and had a child named Susantha Manuwarna, who died 3 months after the birth.
Wickramasinghe joined the staff of the newspaper "Lakmina", after leaving "Dinamina" in 1927. The following years, he and his wife went on to have six children : Sarath Kusum (b. December 26, 1928), Vasantha Kumara (b. July 16, 1929), Rupa Malathie (b. February 4, 1931), Himansu Ranga (b. July 16, 1932), Usha (b. September 30, 1935), and Unie (b. September 13, 1940). During this time he edited two newspapers, and wrote Unmada Chithra and Rohini (both in 1929).
In the 1940s, Wickramasinghe reached the peak of his writing career writing the widely acclaimed books Gamperaliya (1944), Madol Doova (1947), and Yuganthaya (1949). He moved to Thimbirigasyaya, Sri Lanka during this time, to enable his children to go to college.
In the 1950s, Wicramasinghe was awarded the MBE, and started living in Bandarawela, Sri Lanka, visiting India, Russia, and China during the period, also. His writing of the period include Viragaya in 1956, and Kaliyugaya in 1957.
During the 1960s, Wicramasinghe did more travelling and received more awards. His writings were few and far between during this period as his health started to deteriorate. On July 23, 1976, Wicramasinghe died.
Wicramasinghe wrote books for children, short stories, plays, essays and other related types of writing during his lifetime, in addition to novels.