Palmerston North man Charith Ekanayake launches a radio show for Sinhala speakers

NZLankaNewsTalks is the brainchild of Charith "CJ" Ekanayake. He is pictured here in a studio at Manawatū People's Radio.

A Palmerston North-produced radio show covers everything from New Zealand’s top beaches to elephant deaths and Sri Lanka’s success at the World Youth Scrabble Championship.

NZLankaNewsTalks is the brainchild of Charith “CJ” Ekanayake. He started the show in November to foster connections between his former home of Sri Lanka and his new home of New Zealand.

The hour-long show is in Sinhala and also features Kandy-based Nalaka Dasanayake and Amali Samarakoon.

To date, they have produced 12 episodes which air on Manawatū People’s Radio each Wednesday at 5pm. The show can also be listened to anytime via MPR’s website and watched on YouTube.

Ekanayake says the show is a friendly source for the latest buzz from New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

He came to Palmerston North in 2020 and is a graphic and web designer. He has a Bachelor of Design and Innovation from Victoria University of Wellington.

He co-founded the community newspaper SriLankaNZ and founded the website NZLankaNews.

Ekanayake and his partner Menaka, a cook, have a 16-month-old son, Cody.

If you would like to appear on NZLankaNewsTalks, email info@nzlankanews.com.

Judith Lacy has been the editor of the Manawatū Guardian since December 2020. She graduated from journalism school in 2001 and this is her second role editing a community paper.