Maha Nuge Gardens

Vernon added to the ‘sense of community’ down Maha Nuge Gardens in Kollupitiya – with the Bandaranaikes,the Dias-Abeysinghes, the Illangakons, the Wickremesinghes, the Tennekoons – this was Sri Lankan life at its best – visiting each others houses, Vernon always had the ‘open door system.’ There were hugely interesting personalities. At the top of Maha Nuge Gardens lived that political giant, Felix Dias-Bandaranaike. The lane was heavily guarded as Felix Dias-Bandaranaike lived up the road.

The only time there was any commotion was during the annual Royal-Thomian cricket match in Colombo, one of the most popular schoolboy encounters in Sri Lanka – Thomians and Royalists with their flags waving in the Colombo breeze would race down Maha Nuge Gardens. There were Royalists AND Thomians who lived down the road – Vernon’s home was no exception, with flags of both schools flying high from the windows. The Royal-Thomian match generated a great deal of excitement not only in Maha Nuge Gardens but across Colombo.

Maha Nuge Gardens was a vibrant community. People who lived down this quiet lane were enveloped in a world of culture, media, politics,education, the arts, banking, business. In the 1970s if you walked down Maha Nuge Gardens you could hear the fiery musician, Elmer de Haan (a dominant character in the world of western music in Sri Lanka ) playing the scales, morning noon and night, in the flats at the back of Vernon’s home.

Charismatic personalities like Sammy Dias-Bandaranaike spent long hours with Vernon explaining Cheiro’s book of numbers – there was ‘Achchi Mummy’ also related to the Bandaranaike family – they used to laugh at Vernon’s jokes and his stories.

Christmas was an exciting time in Maha Nuge Gardens, neighbours visited each other’s houses. Choirs in buses came to Vernon’s home. Vernon being a very creative person painted a massive festive mural on the main wall of his lounge – much to the delight of his three little children.

There were so many who turned up to see Vernon, people from all over the world international broadcasters from the West Indies, India, Australia, Great Britain, Hawaii, USA. Michael Broadbent an Editor of BBC TV News came for a few days and ended up staying for a few weeks as the JVP launched their uprising in April 1971. Living in Maha Nuge Gardens was an education in itself.

London Sounds Eastern

Vernon Corea was invited to present the first ever Asian radio program in English on BBC Local Radio – in 1977 – this was a first for the British Broadcasting Corporation. In the past, Asian programs were in Hindi or Urdu and other Asian languages – Vernon pioneered the way when his unmistakable voice hit the airwaves on BBC Radio London with his radio program, ‘London Sounds Eastern.’ Vernon was once again at his best, in front of a microphone – this time at the British Broadcasting Corporation.

British Journalist Richard Bath, writing about London Sounds Eastern, said ‘the program aimed at attracting not just an immigrant audience, but also at improving integration and comunity relations.’

London Sounds Eastern built up a huge audience in the capital. Vernon was on top of the world introducing ragas from India, music from Sri Lanka, Singapore, Pakistan – it was diverse, exciting and entertaining. London Sounds Eastern was produced by the charismatic BBC man, Keith Yeomans. The Station Manager of BBC Radio London, Alan Holden backed Vernon’s efforts. ‘London Sounds Eastern’ became a very popular program with Londoners reaching a whole new audience.

Pandit Ravi Shankar, Pandit Amaradeva, Lata Mangeshkhar, Asha Bhosle, Usha Uthup, Clarence Wijeywardene, Annesly Malawana, Nimal Mendis, Mignonne Fernando and The Jetliners, Eranga and Priyanga, journalist and author Reginald Massey and his actress wife Jamila Massey of ‘Mind Your Language’ fame were among those featured on ‘London Sounds Eastern.’

Vernon had featured the Sri Lankan artistes way back in the 1950s and 1960s. The Sri Lankan international superstar Nimal Mendis – who even appeared with Sandra Edema in the 1960s on ‘Top of the Pops’ was ‘discovered’ by Radio Ceylon in the 1950s. Here was Vernon featuring Nimal Mendis on BBC Radio London twenty years later.

Many of these artistes remained close friends with Vernon. Usha Uthup was a frequent visitor to Vernon’s BBC office at the Langham, opposite Broadcasting House in London, whenever she was in London ‘in concert’ – she even used to sing Sri Lankan ‘baila’ in Vernon’s office – because she knew the people of Sri Lanka so well. Nimal Mendis was a close friend too.

Superstars Clarence Wijeywardene and Annesly Malawana always mentioned Vernon in their concerts in London. Vernon was the first to write about them in the 1960s in his EMCEE column in the Ceylon Daily News.

BBC’S ‘Radio Times’ had a special focus on the program and Vernon was featured in the BBC Radio Times for the first time in 1976. The program ran for an hour every week on a Sunday evening.

Vernon told newsmen in London: ‘I want the program to be very open and develop in style as time goes on. But I am also interested in the positive aspects of Asian family life and other Asian qualities, although overall, my style is very informal,’ he said.

As a result of the radio program and the work done by Vernon, he was appointed Asian Programmes Officer for BBC Local Radio. The BBC recognised Vernon’s talents and his exceptional qualities. He retired from the BBC as an Ethnic Minorities Adviser. Vernon’s radio career had turned full circle. It was a fitting end to one of Sri Lanka’s outstanding broadcasters.
Vernon Corea was invited to present the first ever Asian radio program in English on BBC Local Radio – in 1977 – this was a first for the British Broadcasting Corporation. In the past, Asian programs were in Hindi or Urdu and other Asian languages – Vernon pioneered the way when his unmistakable voice hit the airwaves on BBC Radio London with his radio program, ‘London Sounds Eastern.’ Vernon was once again at his best, in front of a microphone – this time at the British Broadcasting Corporation.

British Journalist Richard Bath, writing about London Sounds Eastern, said ‘the program aimed at attracting not just an immigrant audience, but also at improving integration and comunity relations.’

London Sounds Eastern built up a huge audience in the capital. Vernon was on top of the world introducing ragas from India, music from Sri Lanka, Singapore, Pakistan – it was diverse, exciting and entertaining. London Sounds Eastern was produced by the charismatic BBC man, Keith Yeomans. The Station Manager of BBC Radio London, Alan Holden backed Vernon’s efforts. ‘London Sounds Eastern’ became a very popular program with Londoners reaching a whole new audience.

Pandit Ravi Shankar, Pandit Amaradeva, Lata Mangeshkhar, Asha Bhosle, Usha Uthup, Clarence Wijeywardene, Annesly Malawana, Nimal Mendis, Mignonne Fernando and The Jetliners, Eranga and Priyanga, journalist and author Reginald Massey and his actress wife Jamila Massey of ‘Mind Your Language’ fame were among those featured on ‘London Sounds Eastern.’

Vernon had featured the Sri Lankan artistes way back in the 1950s and 1960s. The Sri Lankan international superstar Nimal Mendis – who even appeared with Sandra Edema in the 1960s on ‘Top of the Pops’ was ‘discovered’ by Radio Ceylon in the 1950s. Here was Vernon featuring Nimal Mendis on BBC Radio London twenty years later.

Many of these artistes remained close friends with Vernon. Usha Uthup was a frequent visitor to Vernon’s BBC office at the Langham, opposite Broadcasting House in London, whenever she was in London ‘in concert’ – she even used to sing Sri Lankan ‘baila’ in Vernon’s office – because she knew the people of Sri Lanka so well. Nimal Mendis was a close friend too.

Superstars Clarence Wijeywardene and Annesly Malawana always mentioned Vernon in their concerts in London. Vernon was the first to write about them in the 1960s in his EMCEE column in the Ceylon Daily News.

BBC’S ‘Radio Times’ had a special focus on the program and Vernon was featured in the BBC Radio Times for the first time in 1976. The program ran for an hour every week on a Sunday evening.

Vernon told newsmen in London: ‘I want the program to be very open and develop in style as time goes on. But I am also interested in the positive aspects of Asian family life and other Asian qualities, although overall, my style is very informal,’ he said.

As a result of the radio program and the work done by Vernon, he was appointed Asian Programmes Officer for BBC Local Radio. The BBC recognised Vernon’s talents and his exceptional qualities. He retired from the BBC as an Ethnic Minorities Adviser. Vernon’s radio career had turned full circle. It was a fitting end to one of Sri Lanka’s outstanding broadcasters.

Radio Ceylon

The finest broadcasting station in South Asia

Broadcasting on an experimental basis was started in Ceylon by the Telegraph Department in 1923, just three years after the inauguration of broadcasting in Europe. Gramophone music was broadcast from a tiny room in the Central Telegraph Office with the aid of a small transmitter built by the Telegraph Department engineers from the radio equipment of a captured German submarine.

The results proved successful and barely three years later, on December 16, 1925, a regular broadcasting service came to be instituted. Edward Harper who came to Ceylon as Chief Engineer of the Telegraph Office in 1921, was the first person to actively promote broadcasting in Ceylon. He launched the first experimental broadcast as well as founding the Ceylon Wireless Club together with British and Ceylonese radio enthusiasts. Edward Harper has been dubbed the ‘ Father of Broadcasting in Ceylon.’

The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation in Colombo, to this day, is one of the finest radio stations in the world. It also happens to be the oldest radio station in South Asia. Vernon Corea was one of the pioneers of this radio station and he was deeply proud to be part of the history of Radio Ceylon. He loved the Station. Radio was King in South Asia in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and Radio Ceylon really did rule the airwaves – the station was like no other – it led the field in South Asia.

People in the Indian sub-continent tuned into Radio Ceylon. The station was known as a ‘market leader’ in the field of entertainment. People wrote to Radio Ceylon from all over the world.

On December 16, 1925 the then British Governor Sir Hugh Clifford inaugurated the broadcasting service – It was first known as Colombo Radio. The name was changed to Radio Ceylon and the radio the station shifted to Torrington Square on October 5, 1949.

Radio Ceylon broadcaster Gnanam Rathinam in her book ‘ The Green Light’ ( Memories of Broadcasting in Sri Lanka) notes: ‘ In 1943 the Broadcasting Station premises was sited in a bungalow named The Bower, in Cotta Road, Borella (in the city of Colombo). In early days the programmes in all languages were scheduled and produced by announcers who covered airtime as well. The Colombo radio station at ‘The Bower’ ceased broadcasts by midnight on 31st December 1949 and Radio Ceylon came into being on 1st January 1950. On January 5, 1967, it became a state corporation – the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.

Commercial broadcasting from Radio Ceylon was inaugurated on September 30, 1950 and Clifford Dodd was seconded for service via the Colombo Plan. Dodd was charismatic and innovative and there was a real ‘buzz’ in Radio Ceylon after his arrival. South Asian leaders and ministers of the British Commonwealth, including India’s Jawaharlal Nehru, Ceylon’s J.R. Jayawardene and Ghulam Mohammed, decided that Asia needed something like the Marshall Plan that had just helped rebuild Europe after the ravages of war.

The Colombo Plan, which resulted from these deliberations, was the first multilateral effort in foreign aid in Asia. The key donor countries were Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Britain and the United States, and the organisation included Asian members of the Commonwealth like India, Ceylon and Pakistan.

Australia sent Clifford.R.Dodd to Radio Ceylon under the ‘Plan’ and it was a ‘ground breaking’ experience, as far as broadcasting in Ceylon was concerned. Clifford R.Dodd is regarded as the ‘Father of Commercial Broadcasting in Ceylon.

Clifford Dodd, the Australian radio expert and administrator who was sent to Radio Ceylon under the Colombo Plan transformed the Commercial Service of the Station.

The Hindi Service of Radio Ceylon

 

The Hindi Service of Radio Ceylon was instrumental in catapulting the radio station as India’s number one station. Millions tuned in to hear Hindi film music prssented by the popular Indian announcers – Vijay Kishore Dubey,Sunil Dutt, Gopal Sharma, Ameen Sayani,Hamid Sayani, Shiv Kumar Saroj,Manohar Mahajan – they helped shape the destiny of Radio Ceylon as King of the airwaves in India. People from all over the Indian sub-continent tuned in to hear the latest film music, some Radio Ceylon programs took the format of a countdown – whatever the format these announcers of the Hindi Service took India by storm. They had no equal. It was also a lucrative money spinner first for Radio Ceylon and even now for the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation – India is still a huge market.

Pivotal to the success of Radio Ceylon was advertising – someone who brought in million of rupees in terms of revenue from advertising from the various Indian states was Hari Haran the Indian advertising giant with Radio Advertising Services based in Mumbai. Hari Haran used the popularity of Radio Ceylon and subsequently the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation by tapping into the vast Indian market. He worked with Vernon Corea who was Business Manager of the SLBC in the 1970s – this was a very successful period for the Corporation.

Indians still long for the good old days of Radio Ceylon – so many blogs on the Internet share the views of die hard Radio Ceylon fans who hark back to the glory days of the finest radio station in South Asia.

What they said about Radio Ceylon…..

‘ For millions in this country, Radio Ceylon was not just a broadcasting station. It had a form and a personality. It was a companion who added a meaning to their lives, filled their vacant hours and has now left them with a host of memories of the melodious times which is hard to forget……’

PLAYBACK & FAST FORWARD MAGAZINE INDIA

‘ In the fifties, Radio Ceylon commenced its commercial services in Asia. Film music came back and all programming constrictions were removed. All those who joined Radio Enterprises, the production wing of the Indian agency for Radio Ceylon were allowed to do what they liked in any style that looked good. Of course, no insults or controversies were permitted; as long as we remained within the aegis of a code of conduct, we were given a free rein with the programming. Therefore, all of us developed our own style; there was full scope for creativity and adventurism……’

AMEEN SAYANI OF ‘BINACA GEET MALA’ FAME

‘ Soon after conquering Mount Everest half a century ago, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay turned on their transistor radio and the first thing they heard was an overseas broadcast of Radio Ceylon, from more than 3,000 kilometres away. They joined millions of people across the Indian subcontinent who regularly tuned in to these broadcasts. A pioneer in broadcasting in Asia, Radio Ceylon for decades informed and entertained an overseas audience many times the population of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka….’

Panos Features

‘ Radio Ceylon was my introduction to English music. I grew up in a traditional family and there were no English books or music available at home. ‘

Mahesh Dattani (Indian Playwright)

‘ We would listen on Radio Ceylon…….’

Shashi Deshpande (author)

‘ I have to express my deep gratitude to what was then called Radio Ceylon. (Sri Lanka now.) It had a slightly more open attitude and did play Western music, so that’s where I became familiar with all kinds of things that I could slightly regret, like the complete works of Ricky Nelson. ‘

Salman Rushdie (author)

- Rushdie mentioned Radio Ceylon in his novel ‘Midnight’s Children’ -

‘ Radio Ceylon, as it was then called — it’s Sri Lanka now — had a rather more tolerant policy, and, yes, at the weekends, it would play a few hours of a Western hit-parade kind of program. That’s where we first heard a lot of these songs….’

Salman Rushdie (author)

‘ Anyone who heard Ameen Sayani on Binaca Geet Mala will know. Radio Ceylon took his Brazilian coffee voice and that of his even more gifted brother Hamid, the host of the Ovaltine Amateur Hour, into millions of Indian homes every week. AFS `Bobby’ Taleyarkhan and Alyque Padamsee were the other two Indians who became household names in their country, thanks to Radio Ceylon. Since then, a virtual invasion of India by TV has left only misty memories of Jimmy Bharucha’s rich and friendly baritone and GregRoszkowszki, who with his signature `Wakey, Wakey’ was like an alarm clock for thousands across India…’

Nirupama Subramaniam (writer)

‘ Biddu became associated with the classic disco sound of a driving rhythm and sweeping strings. He said that he had first picked up this style listening to Radio Ceylon at home in India. I’d be glued to my wireless…’

Biddu (pop star) in a BBC interview

‘ The other morning I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (one time Radio Ceylon!) is still a charming radio station. Its ability to select and present songs of yesteryears every morning with extremely few repetitions speaks volumes for the dedication of the staff. The radio station possesses an excellent collection of songs that are catalogued and preserved to be presented on specific occasions. It is one of the few radio stations that keep track of birthdays and anniversaries of past singers, actors and all those associated with the field of entertainment. Thereby, it helps the audience to relive those lost moments – the start of the day owes a lot to these songs….’

indiamike.com (India Travel Forum)

‘When I was in class five or six, one of my uncles used to listen to Radio Ceylon. Back then it was the only commercial radio. I used to listen along with him. One voice really intrigued me. I didn’t understand Hindi so I didn’t know what he was saying. All I knew was I wanted to perform like him. And that remained in the back of my mind, Hossain, a veteran voice in radio explains. He moves on to his college days, & Later on I got to know it was Amin Sayani, the popular voice of India. In college, during lunch break, amidst the swarm of teachers and students I used to practice his performing style.’

Nazmul Hossain
- a pioneer of the Advertising Industry in Bangladesh -

‘The first lady of Indian television Tabassum is the prima donna of the world of entertainment.Currently the TV Queen is doing a daily show on Zee called Yaadein Radio Ceylon Ki where she reminisces for about two minutes on the songs being aired for that day. Talking of Radio Ceylon Tabassum recollects that one of her most popular shows which ran for 18 years was Tabassum Ke Chutkule on Radio Ceylon. Listeners were so tuned in to this show that slowly they began to send in jokes and jokes came in from Pakistan, Middle East and all parts of India. This raddi was sold by Radio Ceylon and bought by Tabassum.’

SCREEN INDIA.COM

‘ My father being a fan of Kundanlal Saigal, these songs would be playing at home all the time. Radio Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) also immortalized Saigal by playing his songs at 2 minutes to 8.00 every morning. Whenever I was away from home, I could evoke images of home just by switching on Radio Ceylon.’

Melanie Priya Kumar

‘ In 1951 came an agreement with the US to relay Voice of America (VOA) programmes over Radio Ceylon (which was then a popular radio station in the vast Indian subcontinent), in return for getting new and modern broadcasting equipment from the US. ‘
PK Balachandran – Hindustan Times

‘Yes, we did have brands when we were growing up. They were highly popular and we came to know of them from a few hoardings, banners, radio jingles from the Commercial Service of Radio Ceylon…..’

V. GANGADHAR – The Hindu Newspaper

‘ When Jimmy Bharucha joined Radio Ceylon he says, they had to use the primitive Beehive BBC type microphone and carbon microphone ” those which did not generate any kind of quality. Interestingly, open reel tapes were discovered only in 1950 but “our Commercial Service was so up to date,” he says. Most programmes at that time were “live” for working with tapes was far too expensive.’

Chitra Weerasinghe
writing in Sri Lanka Explore Magazine

‘ Around that time Lester James Peiris (Sri Lanka’s top Film Director) had got to do some freelance work for Radio Ceylon. He reviewed books for a programme called “Radio Bookshelf”. “The first book I reviewed was ‘The Curtain of Green’ by Eudora Welty, which I had also reviewed for the Kesari. Then the war (World War II) came and an English army man took charge of Radio Ceylon. He wanted to do radio plays and wanted me to write scripts.’

Malinda Seneviratne
writing in the Sunday Island

‘ Rathnavalie Kakunawela’s voice was synonymous with Muwanpelessa, a radio play broadcast by the then Radio Ceylon for more than 41 years beginning in the 1960s. Rathnavalie who has been involved in the field of art for more than four decades was brought to the field by her brother Victor Migel. She was introduced to the Radio Ceylon in 1951 and lent her voice for the first time for a role in the short story of T.G.W. de Silva.’

Anjana Gamage
writing in the Daily News

‘Sunil Dutt….Such a job came in the early fifties through the competence of Radio Ceylon, a station owned by the Sri Lankan government. That radio must choose him for his good looks is another mysterious way of the media business.

At a time when the proud and mighty All India Radio considered films and their mortals unworthy of air, Radio Ceylon unleashed its new find as a celebrity interviewer. That was how he met the crucial people of his film destiny…’

India Times

Nostalgia : Radio Ceylon

‘ Half a century ago, the programmes in English over the then Radio Ceylon was a delight to listen to. Then it was broadcast on the Home Service. Veteran broadcasters like Livy Wijemanne, Vernon Abeysekera, Myrle Swan, Hector Jayasinghe, Alfreda de Silva, Priya Samaraweera (Kodipily), Mark Anthony Fernando, Karl Goonasena, Dudley Weeraratne, Joseph Mather and a few others, whose names I cannot recollect, spoke English as it should be (then) over the National Service.

In the 1950s, the Australian, Clifford Dodd pioneered the Commercial Service. Livy and Karl worked for the Commercial Service later. Ace broadcasters, each with individual personality entertained the listeners with a variety of programmes. Some of the forgotten names are: Greg Rozkowzki, Mil Sansoni, Jimmy Bharucha, Karl Goonasena, Norton Pereira, Eardley Pieris, Percy Bartholomeuz, Ronald Campbell, Dan Durairaj, Geoff Fruightneit, Prosper Fernando, Guy Bibile et al.

From the 1960s to the present day, a number of talented broadcasters had been coming over the airwaves with their own styles of presentation.

K.S. Sivakumaran
writing in the Daily News, Colombo

‘ Young, dynamic and vibrant, the voice of the inimitable Vijaya Corea was heard to adorn the airwaves through the only electronic medium in this country at that time – the Commercial Service of Radio Ceylon. Little did he know then that he would climax his career as Director General of the same radio station which later became the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation….’

Mahes Perera
writing in the Sunday Observer, Colombo

‘ When we were young and callow, we had only a quartet of radio stations to choose from: BBC, VOA, AIR and Radio Ceylon. The last two especially AIR’s “Saturday Date” played the music of singers like Engelbert Humperdinck, Jim Reeves, The Seekers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Carpenters and Tom Jones; all of whom were enormously popular with the “Macks” and the “Bawa” crowd. Engelbert was worshipped to the extent that the Konkani singers non-pareil, Alfred and Rita Rose, named an offspring after him.’

Ronita Tocarto
Writing in The Hindu (India)

‘Lama Pitiya’, the favourite Radio Ceylon programme presented by Siri Aiya was the training ground for young talent in the 40′s. Karunararne Abeysekara was one of the discoveries of the time who blossomed into a major poet in his later years. ‘Karu’ as he was affectionately called, whose seventy-second birth anniversary was celebrated by his fans and by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation recently. He wrote over 2000 lyrics during his lifetime which was considered a record for any artiste associated with radio, film and television.

D.B.Kappagoda
Writing in the Sunday Times, Colombo

‘ I have spent my teenage listening to Radio Ceylon and the most exciting part of the radio programmes was Cibaca Geet Mala hosted by Ameen Sayani. Yesterday at night i.e.,Radio Ceylon’s last night broadcast of 2hrs from 7.00 p.m to 9.00p.m. was the end of its night broadcast.

From today,much to my unhappiness,there is no night broadcast.Only we are left with 3hrs 30 ms airing time in the morning from 6.00 to 9.30 a.m.Enquiries made with the earlier announcers on Radio Ceylon and its Golden Listeners placed at Mumbai,Kanpur and Ahmedabad revealed that the position is hopelessly beyond restoration as there was no revenue from any source to sustain it.I am keeping in touch with these accredited well wishers with a view to some how keep it kicking.

One Mr.Prabhakar Vyas was so obsessed with Radio Ceylon that today he told me over phone from Mumbai that he didn’t want to live any longer in the absence of Radio Ceylon.So great is the charm and fascination it left on its veteran listeners,me,no doubt included.Thus today is a very black day for the lovers of Radio Ceylon….’

Satish Karry’s Blog

‘TV has put an end to Radio Ceylon, the ubiquitous Ameen Sayani and Binaca Geetmala, Sanforised ke Mehman, Cadbury Something … all these programmes had been mesmerising. Getting clear sound on the highly crowded 25-metre bad was a challenge and when it did come through, it was a victory. And that was itself more than half the fun. ‘

S.K.Vasisthta
writing in The Hindu Magazine

‘ The mention of Radio Australia and Radio Ceylon brought back memories of the 1970s. During those days, radio was the ruler of communication all across the globe. In the 13-metre band, live cricket coverage by Radio Australia was very nice with the golden voices of Allan McGilvray, Jim Maxwell and Brian Johnston. I have with me still a few hours of their commentaries taped in cassette form. Whenever England visited Australia, Radio Ceylon relayed the live commentaries of Radio Australia. In case the reception became poor, the commentary was interrupted with music and the announcer used to give the scores at the end of each over.

I have enjoyed a radio commentary with poor reception much more than the live TV coverage of today. Taking the pocket transistor to offices was very common and we could see cricket fans walking along the road glued to it much like today’s mobile phone conversations. On Radio Ceylon, the morning music programme called “Bright and Early”, the late afternoon music of “Lunch Time Music” and the late night programme before going to bed “Music for a Mellow Mood” were really superb. It is sad that TV has made tremendous inroads into radio territory and that it may soon become a thing of the past just like gramophone records….’

V.Pandy (The Hindu Magazine)

‘I recall meeting Vernon Corea in 1987 at the BBC World Service, Bush House, London for a conference of Asian programme providers. I was new to broadcasting and was ever eager to learn from veterans like Mr.Corea.I remember he asked us if we knew what a ‘Cubie Point’ was?

None of us knew the answer (there must have been around 70 of us). He revealed that a ‘Cubie Point’ was a British Telecom direct link from each Town or City Council Hall direct to our respective radio stations so that we could report on elections and other important occasions as if ‘live’ from a studio.He inspired a lot of people to take up broadcasting.

Bhagawant

Here are some important chapters in the story of broadcasting in Sri Lanka.

1926 – The opening of a Concert Studio at the Ceylon University College.

1927 – The installation of acoustically treated studios and an Engineering Control Room at Torrington Square, Colombo.

1934 – The constitution of a Wireless Broadcasting Advisory Board.

Also, first experiments with a short wave transmission to achieve better reception in areas outside a 40-mile radius of Colombo. Construction of a Receiving Station for the reception of Empire Programmes.

1937 – The installation of a 3.5-5 Kw medium wave transmitter by a Ceylonese engineer.

1939 – The issue of a fortnightly Programme Supplement to subscriber licence holders.

1940 – The appointment of a Special Commission with Sir Kandiah Vaithianathan, as chairman, to report on all aspects of broadcasting.

The number of licences in Ceylon reached 10,000.

1942 – Owing to war conditions, the premises at Torrington Square were vacated for occupation by the R.A.F ., and the broadcasting organisation was accommodated in a residential bungalow in Cotta Road, Borella.

1947 – Work commenced on a building in Torrington Square, designed to suit the needs of a modern broadcasting station. This work was completed in September, 1949.

1949 – Radio SEAC (South East Asia Command) was taken over for Radio Ceylon.

The number of licence holders reached 27,000.

1950 – Inauguration of the Commercial Service of Radio Ceylon in September.

1953 – Appointment of a Commission on Broadcasting under the Chairmanship of Mr.N.E.Weerasuriya QC.

1954 – Completion of work on a separate two storeyed building for the Commercial Service work commenced in 1953.

1958 – Installation of a Medium Wave Station at Diyagama commenced.

1960 – Experimental Project in establishing a Regional Station in Kandy commenced.

1967 – Radio Ceylon became a public corporation on January 5th 1967. The Prime Minister of Ceylon Dudley Senanayake ceremonially opened the newly established Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.

1972 – The country became a republic under Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

Vernon Corea – Sri Lanka’s Broadcaster

Vernon signs off……

Vernon Corea, Sri Lanka’s pioneering broadcaster, died on September 23rd, 2002 aged 75 years. Vernon lived in New Malden in Surrey. The previous night,on Sunday 22nd September, he watched BBC News 24 and went to bed. In the morning he had passed away in his sleep. It was a peaceful departure from this world.

The Corea Family

Vernon was born in Kurana, Katunayke on September 11th, 1927. His father Rev. Ivan Corea was a curate at the St.Phillips Church in Kurana in 1927. The Corea family are descendants of Dominicus Corea who was crowned King of Kotte in the 16th century. Vernon’s parents were the late Canon Ivan Corea and Ouida Corea, one time Rural Dean of Colombo of the Church of Sri Lanka and Vicar of St. Lukes Church, Borella. In the late 1950s Canon Corea was appointed Vicar of St.Paul’s Milagiriya.

Royal College Colombo

Vernon was educated at Royal College, Colombo where he played a full role in the life of the school – from debating society to playing tennis. He was also educated at Bishop’s Theological College in Calcutta, India but decided not to pursue ordination.

Vernon Corea returned to Sri Lanka and went into teaching at Uva College, Badulla in 1953 where he met his wife, Monica, who was also a teacher. After the death of their first born son Harishchandra, Vernon and Monica moved to Colombo. He worked briefly for Car Mart and then joined Radio Ceylon as a Relief Announcer in 1956.

Radio Ceylon

Vernon was appointed as an Announcer in Radio Ceylon in 1957 by the Director of the Commercial Service, Clifford R.Dodd. Vernon had the joined the ‘greats’ – Livy Wijemanne, Pearl Ondaatje, Tim Horshington, Greg Roskowski, Jimmy Bharucha, Mil Sansoni, Eardley Peiris,Shirley Perera, Bob Harvie, Chris Greet, Prosper Fernando, Ameen Sayani (of Binaca Geet Mala fame), S.P. Mylvaganam (the first Tamil Announcer on the Commercial Service), H.M.Gunasekera to name a few. They blazed a trail in broadcasting in South Asia. Vernon also worked with the legendary Karunaratne Abeysekera, they were very close friends.

People from all over the Indian sub-continent stayed awake into the wee hours of the morning to listen to the announcers from Radio Ceylon. Fan mail flooded from all over South Asia. Radio ruled the airwaves in the 1950s and 1960s. Television hadn’t even arrived in Ceylon. Announcers like Vernon were the pioneers of public service broadcasting in Ceylon.

Vernon took to radio like a duck takes to water and his career spiralled upwards. He soon established himself as a popular Announcer of Radio Ceylon. Everyone is South Asia loved Radio.

Announcers were the ‘pop stars’ of that generation and Radio Ceylon occupied a very special place in the hearts of South Asians in India, West Pakistan, East Pakistan, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan and there were listeners even in Burma. Salman Rushdie mentions Radio Ceylon in his novel ‘Shame.’ People in India remember the radio station with such affection.

‘ No amount of criticism could diminish the popularity of Radio Ceylon to the public taste but also cultivated the same it offered not only what people liked but also what they should have liked…’

‘ Radio Ceylon still boasts of possessing the largest library of 78 RPM records. They are preserved in an air-conditioned room, lovingly handled and safely played on a heavy turn-table with an Australian made diamond stylus.’

PLAYBACK & FAST FORWARD MAGAZINE, INDIA

‘ Nobody bought radio sets that did not receive Radio Ceylon! ‘

AMEEN SAYANI

(Vernon’s friend presented Binaca Geetmala over Radio Ceylon)

Radio Programmes

Vernon presented some of the most popular radio programmes in South Asia: Two for the Money, Kiddies Korner, Old Folks at Home, To Each His Own, Ponds Hit Parade, Saturday Stars, Take it or Leave It, Maliban Bandwagon (Maliban Show), Roving Mike, Dial-a-disc, Holiday Choice, Sunday Choice and many more. Vernon was also a sought after compere of countless dinners, dances, events and he was at the helm of many a New Year celebration and his voice greeted listeners with a cheerful ‘Happy New Year,’ in the 1960s and 1970s.

He introduced Mignonne Fernando and the Jetliners onto the stage at the popular ‘Cocount Grove’ in the Galle Face Hotel in the early sixties. The manager of The Jetliners, Tony Fernando, knew Vernon so well. Vernon has compered so many varied shows from events for the Army, Navy and the Ceylon Air Force to a dinner dance in Chilaw. Vernon travelled the length and breadth of Sri Lanka – he soon became a household name on the island.

‘ Vernon Corea was probably the most popular male voice heard over Radio Ceylon’s English Commercial Service. It was Vernon who compiled and presented that incredibly popular listener’s request programme every Sunday afternoon, called “To Each His Own” for over a decade. This was the programme that served as a channel through which popular American music, particularly “Country and Western” songs poured into Sri Lanka and fashioned the musical tastes and values of a whole youth generation……..’

Neville Jayaweera

former Director General SLBC

Experimental Television in Sri Lanka

Vernon was called upon to present the first ever experimental television broadcast from Colombo in 1972. These were the first tentative steps into the world of television.He appeared in the first grainy pictures on the television screen presenting the first experimental tv program in Colombo.

Livy Wijemanne, the veteran broadcaster(who joined Radio Ceylon in 1945) was Assistant Director of the Commercial Service, it was Livy who appointed Vernon as a relief announcer – writing on 9th August 1956, Livy Wijemanne noted: ‘ Mr. Vernon Corea has had intensive daily training under the supervision of Mr.Goonesena, and is now fit to go on his own as a relief announcer. I shall, therefore, be glad if you will approve of my employing him as a relief announcer on the Commercial Service of Radio Ceylon with immediate effect…’

Clifford R.Dodd

The legendary Director of the Commercial Service, Clifford R.Dodd wrote to Vernon on 17th September 1957 to inform him that he had been ‘placed on the panel of Relief Announcers in English on the Commercial Service with effect from September 1st, 1957.’ This was the beginning of Vernon’s amazing career in broadcasting in Ceylon. Vernon was paid the princely sum of Rs 1/75 per hour, subject to a maximum of Rs. 12 per day.Many regard Clifford Dodd, as the father of commercial broadcasting in Sri Lanka.

Commercial Broadcasting

Commercial broadcasting from Radio Ceylon was inaugurated on September 30, 1950 and Clifford Dodd was seconded for service via the Colombo Plan. Dodd was charismatic and innovative and there was a real ‘buzz’ in Radio Ceylon after his arrival. South Asian leaders and ministers of the British Commonwealth, including India’s Jawaharlal Nehru, Ceylon’s J.R. Jayawardene and Ghulam Mohammed, decided that Asia needed something like the Marshall Plan that had just helped rebuild Europe after the ravages of war. The Colombo Plan, which resulted from these deliberations, was the first multilateral effort in foreign aid in Asia. The key donor countries were Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Britain and the United States, and the organisation included Asian members of the Commonwealth like India, Ceylon and Pakistan. Australia sent Clifford.R.Dodd to Radio Ceylon under the ‘Plan’ and it was a ‘ground breaking’ experience, as far as broadcasting in Ceylon was concerned.

Clifford Dodd was a source of encouragement and inspiration to Vernon Corea who started his career in radio at the bottom of the ladder but he soon climbed up – Vernon was appointed Announcer from 1958-1959, Programme Assistant from 1959-1968, Business Manager from 1968-1974 and he was appointed Director News of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation in 1974. Vernon spent six months in England from 29th April 1970 following a course of training in Broadcasting Management under the Imperial Relations Trust at the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Introduction of Sinhala Music to the English Services

He was instrumental in introducing Sinhala music into the English Service. Together with his cousins, Sangabo Corea and Vijaya Corea he made Clarence Wijewardene, Annesley Malawana and other talented Sri Lankan musicians, household names. He had an influential EMCEE column in the Daily News in the 1960s and 1970s and many musicians went to see Vernon, in order to publicise their group. It was a huge plus to be featured in the EMCEE column of the Daily News. Vernon has also mentored the great Sri Lankan radio names of today, including his cousin Vijaya Corea and Nihal Bhareti.

Move to England

The family moved to England in 1975 when Vernon and Monica became the first Asian missionaries at the Worldwide Evangelization Crusade founded by the all England cricketer C. T. Studd. They worked for the radio arm of WEC, Radio Worldwide who were stationed in Upper Norwood South East London at the time.

London Sounds Eastern

After a spell in religious broadcasting Vernon was invited to present the first ever Asian programme in English. “London Sounds Eastern” on BBC Radio London.

Vernon’s record selection included Sri Lankan hit makers – Clarence Wijeywardene, Annesley Malawana, Dharmaratne Brothers, La Ceylonians, Indrani Perera, The Gypsies, Dalrene, Sam The Man, Mignonne Fernando and the Jetliners, Desmond de Silva , Nimal Mendis and many more – they were reaching the heart of London through the airwaves. Many of these musicians were featured on Vernon’s radio programs at the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.

This was certainly a first for the Sri Lankan Community in the UK and other Asian Communities. Vernon paved the way for radio programs in English involving Asian culture, Asian music and personalities.

The programme was very successful and Vernon interviewed Pandit Ravi Shankar, Pandit Amaradeva, Asha Bhosle, Usha Uthup, Lata Mangeshkhar, Clarence Wijeywardene, Annesley Malawana,Nimal Mendis, Reginald and Jamila Massey, His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka among a whole host of distinguished personalities. “London Sounds Eastern” built up a huge following and Vernon was reaching new audiences across the capital, he was even featured on the pages of the BBC Radio Times along with Alex Pascall. Vernon was supported by key BBC producers like Keith Yeomans during this time – they were working with a very talented man from Sri Lanka.

Vernon covered the Royal Wedding of His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales to Lady Diana Spencer for the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and he voiced news reports onthe visits of President J.R.Jayewardene and Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa to the UK. He was invited to Buckingham Palace to meet the Prince of Wales who has a special interest in Asian culture.

Ethnic Minorities Adviser to the BBC

Vernon took up the post of Asian Programmes Officer at the BBC, he was in the forefront of training people from the minoritiy ethnic communities – this was a first for the BBC in terms of Local Radio. He was the first Sri Lankan to be appointed to senior management at the BBC.

In 1978, Vernon Corea was appointed as the first Ethnic Minorities Adviser for the British Broadcasting Corporation and held it until his retirement. The BBC were trying to be more inclusive and Vernon brought with him a whole new picture within Britian’s multicultural mosaic. Vernon valued diversity and he certainly changed views at the BBC.

His appointment to the BBC was heralded by the ‘Thunderer’ the London Times, the Daily Telegraph and the Financial Times in the United Kingdom.The introduction of the BBC’s new Asian Network is largely due to the pioneering work carried out by Vernon – in the late 1970s and 1980s.

Christian Faith

Vernon was a committed Christian, his faith in God and the Lord Jesus Christ was non-negotiable. He had a deep and abiding faith in Christ. The joy of the Lord was Vernon’s strength.

He was a man who was not depressed or down and he attributed his state of well-being to Jesus Christ. He used to always tell his children, ‘take it to the Lord.’ Vernon was a Lay Reader at Christ Church in Gipsy Hill, South East London and also at Emmanuel Church in Wimbledon Village in South West London.

Broadcasting Legacy

Vernon has left a magnificent legacy to Sri Lankan and British Broadcasting with 45 years of service to public service broadcasting. The London Times (8th October 2002) and the London Guardian (October 15th) paid tribute to the pioneering work undertaken by Vernon Corea who has been dubbed. “The Golden Voice of Radio Ceylon……”

‘Corea was a born broadcaster and racy raconteur, prone to making outrageous remarks with a straight face. But behind his frivolous manner was a generous and large-hearted Christian……’

REGINALD MASSEY

The Guardian (London)

Support for Autism Awareness Campaign UK

With 520,000 autistic people in the UK and 30,000 in Sri Lanka, Vernon supported the Autism Awareness Year campaign launched by his son and daughter-in-law.

He leaves his wife Monica, his children Ivan, Vernon and Ouida. He was the father-in-law of Charika, Fidelma and Praveen and he adored his grandchildren Charin, Rohan, Mark, Emily, Rebecca, Jeremy and Rachel. His granchildren had a very special nickname for him, they all called him ‘Ga-Ga,’ Vernon loved it and he linked it to Freddie Mercury and Queen’s hit song ,’Radio Ga Ga,’ it became Vernon’s theme song in the family and he loved it.

Family Man

Even when he was in Sri Lanka, Vernon was very much a family man. His children recall the simple pleasures of life, visits to the Savoy, the Liberty, the Majestic, the Rio to see great movies like the Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Hatari….hot dogs at the Fountain Cafe….The Royal-Thomian cricket match….a stroll down Galle Face Green…a wonderful meal at the Chinese Lotus Hotel in Colombo.

He will be missed by so many – Vernon was an accomplished jazz pianist – he played by ear – on one occasion, Vernon was asked to play some of the old songs by Dudley Senanayake, the Prime Minister of Ceylon. Members of Dudley Senanayake’s Cabinet, including J.R.Jayewardene and Shirley Corea, gathered around Vernon, at a party, in a flat in Galle Face Court, in Colombo – singing all the old favourites.

All That Jazz

Duke Ellington, the great Jazz pianist visited Ceylon in the 1960s, he was whisked to the studios of Radio Ceylon for a recording and he met Vernon (who had taken along his sons to meet the great man).

Vernon was deeply loyal to the employees of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. On one occasion an employee could not afford to hire a music group for his wedding. So Vernon gathered together some friends who were musicians and members of his family and they played a six hour session at the wedding – the guests danced to ‘Blue Moon’ and other songs of yesteryear.

‘ In many respects Vernon represented a dying culture. In the best sense of the term he was essentially a Public School boy, a typical product of Royal College of the pre-56 vintage.

His sense of loyalty to his management and to his profession and his compassion and concern for those who worked under him were exemplary. I recall many instances when he would intercede on behalf some hapless subordinate who had fallen foul of the management without ever flinching from his loyalty to the latter.

He typified the moral qualities of his schooling, viz. integrity, loyalty and professional excellence. There were certain things which he considered as simply “not done” and which he was incapable of doing. He was incapable of disloyalty to the traditions of his school, of disloyalty to his superiors or of disloyalty towards his subordinates and it was the special quality of his personality that he managed to balance these contradictory impulses with consummate ease and humour…’

NEVILLE JAYAWEERA

former Director-General, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation

Vernon and his Music

He loved music, whether it was playing the piano, the melodica or the violin – there was music in his house – in Maha Nuge Gardens. Vernon and his brother Ernest always provided the entertainment – there was laughter, songs, jokes in the Corea household. They were very special times for the family in Colombo.

Vernon’s brother, Ernest, was Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador to the United States of America and one time Editor of the Daily News, one of the oldest newspapers in Sri Lanka. The Corea brothers held sway in print and radio reaching the top in the media. They were both very influential at the time.

Training International Broadcasters

An opportunity to train broadcasters in South Asia came to Vernon in the 1980s and he visited countries in the SAARC region such as Bangladesh and the Maldives. He met the President of the Republic of Maldives Maumoon Gayoom on one of his visits.

Vernon Corea may have passed away but his legacy lives on – people he has mentored in the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and at the British Broadcasting Corporation have gone on to work in press, radio and television – all over the world. His BBC colleagues remember Vernon’s jokes and stories, a colleague noted that Vernon was ‘one of the greatest storytellers of the Corporation!’

When Vernon retired from the BBC, a colleague wrote:

‘My warmest thanks to you for so ably pioneering a difficult field for us. There’s no doubt that ethnic minority – multi-cultural broadcasting is in a stronger position than when you began. The BBC is proud of you! And thanks, too, for all your friendly advice of such diversity over the years….’