Unipower Chairman and self-made, entrepreneur Jayantha Mangala Rajapakse recently announced the release of the English translation of his autobiography, Amawaka Anduru Ne, a compelling and heartwarming story of inspiration and hope.
With the English title, Golden Rays on the Dark Moon, the book tries to capture the facets of Sri Lankan life, where instant gratification has become the accepted norm and age-old traditions and loyalties are increasingly being challenged in the name of progress and advancement. The book also narrates the numerous social, political and cultural upheavals that took place during the 70s.
As a veteran and a visionary entrepreneur with 40 years of local and international industry experience, Jayantha Mangala Rajapakse made his mark on the agriculture sector with Unipower (Pvt) Ltd., the pioneer in sustainable agri technology innovations in the Sri Lankan specialized fertilizer industry. In addition to his business prowess, Rajapakse has a reputation for simple, lucid style Sinhala literature writing, where at the tender age of nineteen, his debut novel, Obeyma Puthu Wewa won him the Anton Wickremasinghe Award for the best novel in 1970.
In the Golden Rays on the Dark Moon, Rajapakse, shares the richly detailed and deeply personal story of his upbringing in Madampagama, a humble village near Ambalangoda: the love and guidance of parents and family, the pangs of first love that blossomed into marriage, to the most pivotal moments of personal and professional life.
Rajapakse says, “For many years, people have encouraged me to translate my work into English. With the help of my good friend Elmo Perera, I have shared my story with English speaking audience, with its highs and lows—always coming from a loving place, and the guides and mentors who are still part of my life and always will be.”