Indra Dassanayake

Sri Lankan professor

Indra Dassanayake

Dassanayake (right) in 2007

Born| 1943[1]

India

Died| September 2019 (aged 76)

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Alma mater| University of Lucknow
Occupation| Emeritus Professor
Organization(s)| University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka

Indra Dassanayake was a Sri Lankan academic, emeritus professor in Hindi, a scholar known for promoting the Hindi language and North Indian culture in Sri Lanka through educational institutions. On 26 January 2020, she was conferred the Padma Shri award posthumously.[2][3][4][5]

## Career

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Dassanayake attended the University of Lucknow. After returning from India, she introduced the Hindi language into the Sri Lankan education system. She was also a professor of Hindi at the Kelaniya University. She participated in the first World Hindi Conference in 1975 that was held in Nagpur.[6][3]

## Honours

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In 2020, Dassanayake received the Padma Shri award from the Government of India for her contribution to North Indian Literature & Education in Hindi.[7][8][9] It was also the first instance a Sri Lankan received the award since 2002.[10]

## References

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1. ^ India honours Dr. Vajira Chitrasena and Late Prof. Indra Dassanayake with Padma Shri Awards
2. ^ Srinivasan, Meera (26 January 2020). "Two Sri Lankan women receive Padma awards for contribution to arts, language teaching". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
3. ^ a b admin (26 January 2020). "Chitrasena, Dassanayake awarded highest civilian award in India | Colombo Gazette". Retrieved 11 May 2020.
4. ^ says, Laleenie Hulangamuwa (26 January 2020). "Lankans, Vajira Chitrasena and the Late Prof.Indra Dassanayake, get India's Padma Shri award". NewsIn.Asia. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
5. ^ MENAFN. "Sri Lanka- Chitrasena, Dassanayake awarded highest civilian award in India". menafn.com. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
6. ^ Dimithri Wijesinghe (2 February 2020). "What's the story behind the accolade?". www.themorning.lk. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
7. ^ "India honours Deshabandhu Dr. Vajira Chitrasena and Late Prof. Indra Dassanayake from Sri Lanka with Padma Shri Awards | Asian Tribune". www.asiantribune.com. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
8. ^ "India honours Deshabandu Dr. Vajira Chitrasena and late Prof. Indra Dassanayake | Daily FT". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 11 May 2020.[permanent dead link]
9. ^ "Two Lankans conferred Padma Shri Awards". CeylonToday. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
10. ^ "Two Sri Lankan women receive Padma awards". newsonair.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.