The State Television Awards ceremony, recognizing outstanding achievements in the industry over the past four years, was held yesterday evening (December 22) at the National Museum Auditorium.

The event was presided over by the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi.

The ceremony cleared a backlog of awards, evaluating teledramas and programs broadcast in Sinhala, Tamil, and English during the years 2021 and 2024, as well as general television programs from 2022 and 2023. A total of 74 awards, including trophies and merit certificates, were presented to the winners selected by a distinguished jury.

Major Wins for Popular Teledramas

Two prominent teledramas produced for Independent Television Network (ITN) and Sirasa TV dominated the major categories for the years 2021 and 2024:

‘Thanamalvila Kollek’ (2021 Broadcast) This acclaimed production swept several categories, including:

  • Best Dramatic Teledrama

  • Best Direction & Best Screenplay

  • Best Actor

  • Best Editing, Best Camera Direction, and Best Music Direction

  • Best Art Direction & Best Makeup

‘Eya Dan Badala’ (2024 Broadcast) A major winner for the year 2024, the drama secured awards for:

  • Best Dramatic Teledrama

  • Best Screenplay

  • Best Actor & Best Actress

  • Best Supporting Actor

  • Best Editing & Best Makeup

Notable Individual Achievements

The award for Best Teledrama Direction for 2024 was shared between two veteran directors:

  • Prasanna Jayakody (for Eya Dan Badala)

  • Lalith Ratnayake (for Jeewithaye Ek Dawasak)

Recognition Across Media

The ceremony also recognized excellence in a variety of other categories across all three languages (Sinhala, Tamil, and English) for the 2021–2024 period, including:

  • Best Investigative News Reporting

  • Best Documentary Program

  • Best Musical Program

  • Best Animation Production

Distinguished Guests

The event saw the participation of several high-ranking officials and cultural figures, including:

  • Muneer Mulaffar (Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs)

  • K.S. Dilhani (Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs)

  • Keerthi Welisarage (Chairman of the Arts Council of Sri Lanka)

  • Sunil Costa (Chairman of the State Television Advisory Council)

The ceremony concluded as a vibrant celebration of Sri Lankan media, bringing together artists, technicians, and industry leaders to honor the resilience and creativity of the television sector through challenging years.