October 30, 2022
1 min read

Lanka: Once a rebel, now a best Novelist

Aarulan, who was indicted as one of the accused in 2006 bomb attack to assassinate Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was then the powerful Defence Secretary in the Rajapaksa government…SUSITHA FERNANDO

Former Tamil rebel, who was imprisoned for the attempted assassination of former Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary-turned-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, won the Best Tamil Novelist award at the State Literary Awards.

The prisoner Sivalingam Aarulan’s novel was adjudged the Best original Tamil novel at the State Literary Awards held under the patronage of current President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Aarulan, who was indicted as one of the accused in 2006 bomb attack to assassinate Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was then the powerful Defence Secretary in the government run by his elder brother and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Aarulan, who had obtained a Bachelor’s degree in engineering had been arrested while he was studying for his postgraduate degree in a state university.

He has written seven Tamil books and one in English and all his books have been nominated for awards and he had won the Best Novelist award in 2016 as well.

Aarulan was escorted to the literary award ceremony by prison guards.

Thousands of minority Tamils from the Northern Sri Lanka, who joined the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fought against the state security from 1983, demanding a separate land from North and East of the island nation.

The rebel group was also responsible for the assassination of India’s former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. Gandhi was killed by a suicide bomb attack carried out on May 21, 1991, while he was in an election campaign in Tamil Nadu.

In May 2009, the rebel group was militarily crushed by Sri Lanka security forces ending a 26-year long war.

ALSO READ: Lankan Navy arrests 7 fishermen from TN

Previous Story

Condolences pour in after Seoul Halloween stampede

Next Story

Britain prioritising India trade deal, says Cleverly   

Latest from -Top News

India–Africa Trade Tops $100B

The minister stressed that Africa continues to play an important role in India’s foreign policy…reports Asian Lite News Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh announced that India–Africa trade crossed

Modi, Xi to Meet at SCO Summit

This will be PM Modi’s first visit to China in last seven years and the first since the Galwan Valley faceoff…reports Asian Lite News Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi

Flood fury pushes Pakistan to the edge

Pakistan battles deadly monsoon floods as death toll surpasses 850, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa worst-hit, rivers swelling in Punjab, and authorities scrambling to save lives amid looming humanitarian crisis….reports Asian Lite News Pakistan
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Emergency health situation declared

During a meeting, the GMOA revealed that there would be

Fear of flood looms over Lanka

A considerable flood possibility is likely to occur in low-lying