Biography

Full Name: Bhadraji Mahinda Jayatilaka

Address: 633 San Dimas Street, Hemet CA 92545, USA

Date of Birth: November 20, 1948

Education:
1960-1967: Royal College, Colombo, Sri Lanka - General Sciences
1973-1975: Woodbury University, Los Angeles, CA, USA - BS in Communications & Public Relations
1975-1978: Columbia College, North La Brea, Hollywood, CA, USA - MA in Cinematography & Television Production
1978 : UCLA Extension - Post Production Course in Cinema
1984 : Passed CBEST
1987 : UC-Riverside, CA, USA - Followed Adult Education Courses

Work:
1968-1970: University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka - Administrative Clerk
1970-1973: Bank of Ceylon, Sri Lanka - Accounts Clerk
1978-1983: Western center on Law and Poverty, Los Angeles CA, USA - Messenger, Library Assistant, Administrative Assistant
1984-1986: Hemet School District, California, USA - Substitute Teacher
1987 - date: Mt San Jacinto College, Community Education, CA, USA - Instructor in Video, Theater, and Art Media (Water Color, Acrylic, Pastel, Line Drawing)

Activities & Honors:

- Established several theater workshops in Hemet, San Jacinto, and Banning Senior communities
- Chairman Valley Writer’s Guild in Hemet and San Jacinto Valley (1990-1995)
Compiled and edited two (2) anthologies of writers in the valley (Kaleidoscope I (1992) and II (1993)
- Judge for hemet Valley Art Association
- Consultant and Producer for Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (1980)
- Demonstrate Drawing Techniques, Water Color and Acrylic techniques to various art groups
- Do “One Man Show” with music, art, comedy, and drama in various communities in San Jacinto Valley
and Houston TX, Springfield MA, Hartford CT, Melbourne Australia, and Sri Lanka.
- Helped in introducing first TV Station (ITN) to Sri Lanka from US in 1978.
- Created a 20 minute musical program to represent Sri Lanka in the World Festival of Sacred Music in Los Angeles (Oct 1999).
- Sang a song about Los Angeles for it’s 200th Birthday in 1981 at LA Coliseum.

Prizes Won

  • Black and White Art Prize, Royal College, 1963.
  • Dr D L spittle Water Color Senior Prize, Royal College, 1965.
  • All Island Bauddha Shisya Chitra Competition 2nd prizes in 1967 and 1968.
  • Won 7 prizes in the Farmer’s Fair in Riverside County 1991 in four Art categories (Water Color, Acrylic, Pastel, and Line Drawing).
  • 2nd place in One Act Play script competition held by Sanskruthika Sangamaya Sri Lanka in 1968 for the play Maha Muhudata Meha.
  • 1st prize in the Stage play script competition held by Aloka Rangha Sabha, Sri Lanka in 1969 for the play Kandu Sikarai Gamburu Helai.
  • 1st prize and the Sarachchandra Award for the best play script for the play Rosa Pata Punchi Geka in 1970 for the competition held by Pahan Pela, Sri Lanka.
  • 1st and 3rd prizes for two short stories in Pahan Pela Short Stories competition, 1970.
  • Golden Poet Award from the American World of Poetry for the poem No More Dragons in 1985.
  • D R Wijewardena Memorial Award - Honorable Mention for the novel Dona Luisa Sadaneege Kathawen Kotasaki in 1987.
  • Short Story of the Month of June 1993 contest held by Divaina newspapers for the short story Ice Palam.
  • D R Wijewardena Memorial Award for the best novel Pawuru Bendi Rajjaya in 1994.