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Vernon Corea was born in Kurana, Katunayake in Ceylon on 11th September 1927. His parents were the late Reverend Canon Ivan Corea and Ouida Corea who was Vicar of St.Luke's Church, Borella and St.Paul's Church, Milagiriya. Vernon Corea's family hailed from the seaside town of Chilaw in Sri Lanka. The Corea Family have made a valuable contribution to the life of the nation. Mahatma Gandhi, who visited Ceylon in November 1927, stayed with the Corea Family in Chilaw.
Vernon Corea was a pioneer of Radio Ceylon. He joined Radio Ceylon as a Relief Announcer in 1956 and left the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation when he was Director News in 1975.
He presented some of the most popular radio programmes in South Asia. The influential 'Hindu' newspaper placed Vernon Corea among the top 5 broadcasters of the world, alongside Ameen Sayani of 'Binaca Geet Mala' fame. Listeners from all over the Indian sub-continent tuned into hear the unmistakable voice of Vernon Corea.
Vernon Corea went on to present the popular London Sounds Eastern on BBC Radio London. In 1978 he was appointed Ethnic Minorities Adviser to the BBC he held this post until his retirement.
He died in New Malden in Surrey on 23rd September 2002. He was thought to be one of the world's greatest broadcasters, dubbed 'The Golden Voice of Radio Ceylon.'
Quotes about Vernon Corea
- 'Vernon was a pioneering influence in the BBC and helped to lay the foundation for the work we are continuing to do to make sure our staff and our programmes are truly representative of our nation's diverse population.' (Greg Dyke - Director-General BBC)
- 'Mr.Vernon Corea was a veteran broadcaster in Sri Lanka who had contributed immensely for the progress of our Institution, the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.' (Somapala Perera - Deputy Director-General Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation)
- It has been said that "...laughter, joy and kindness are the herbs to gladden the heart and delight the soul." That being the case, Vernon had a special herb garden that spread around the world. His kindness brings tears to my eyes.' (Craig Thompson - formerly of the US Peace Corps in Sri Lanka)
External links
Vernon Corea at Emmanuel Church Wimbledon Village
Listen to Vernon Corea speak at Emmanuel Church in Wimbledon Village, London, England:
Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation
Listen to the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (formerly Radio Ceylon) through LIVE streaming on the SLBC website:
Tsunami Appeal for Sri Lanka
A tsunami devastated the land of Vernon Corea's birth on 26th December 2004, sweeping across the eastern and southern coasts of the island of Sri Lanka. The family of Vernon Corea have launched a tsunami appeal working in partnership with the Autism Awareness Campaign Sri Lanka and the Rotary Club Colombo Regency. The respected Rotary Club are delivering aid to the victims of the tsunami in the east and the south of Sri Lanka. It will take 10 years for Sri Lanka to recover from the tsunami.
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