David Blacker
Encyclopedia
David Blacker is a Sri Lanka
n author.
In the early 1990s, as a 19-year-old, Blacker served in the 6th Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
of the Sri Lanka Army at Elephant Pass
, seeing action in the regiment's heroic defense of the base
.. In 2001, after being wounded in battle, he went to Europe and took a part-time designing job. Blacker began to write in his spare time, and soon produced A Cause Untrue, a tale of Sri Lankan war. Blacker said that while personal experience formed the basis of the novel, the plot was entirely fabricated.
In 2004 the novel in manuscript form was short-listed for the Gratiaen Prize
, which led to its publication in 2005. Subsequently, the book won Best Novel at the 2006 State Literary Awards and was on the 2007 long list for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award
.
Blacker's blog, the Blacklight Arrow, was one of the most popular Sri Lankan websites during the war, and Dr Dayan Jayatillake, Sri Lanka's former permanent representative to the UN in Geneva is quoted as saying “The Blacklight Arrow was way ahead in analysing and projecting the war as it unfurled this time. I have read and met commentators on military and strategic/security affairs from the UK, US, India, Russia and Israel and this guy Blacker is world class, and would be recognised as such except he’s too damn lazy to write. His knowledge of world military history is enormous. As a member of the International Expert Panel of Security Index, the top journal of security studies out of Moscow, I can safely say I know of no Sri Lankan or Sri Lankan-born analyst of military affairs who is better.”
Articles from Blacker's blog have also been reproduced in the Times of India and Sri Lanka's Sunday Island.
Blacker lives in Sri Lanka and is a creative director
and works in advertising.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n author.
In the early 1990s, as a 19-year-old, Blacker served in the 6th Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
The Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment is the first rifle regiment in the Sri Lanka Army and the second oldest infantry regiment in the army. It is made up of seven regular battalions, five volunteer battalions and a headquarter battalion...
of the Sri Lanka Army at Elephant Pass
Elephant Pass
Elephant Pass, Northern Province, Sri Lanka is an important military base and formerly the island's largest salt field, located in the gateway of Jaffna Peninsula. It has thus regularly been the site of battles during the civil war....
, seeing action in the regiment's heroic defense of the base
First Battle of Elephant Pass
The First Battle of Elephant Pass was a battle fought in July 1991 for the control of the Sri Lankan military base of Elephant Pass, which was of strategic importance as it linked the northern mainland known as Wanni with the Jaffna Peninsula.-The battle:...
.. In 2001, after being wounded in battle, he went to Europe and took a part-time designing job. Blacker began to write in his spare time, and soon produced A Cause Untrue, a tale of Sri Lankan war. Blacker said that while personal experience formed the basis of the novel, the plot was entirely fabricated.
In 2004 the novel in manuscript form was short-listed for the Gratiaen Prize
Gratiaen Prize
The Gratiaen Prize is an annual literary prize for best work of literary writing in English by a resident Sri Lankan. It was founded in 1992 by the Sri Lankan-born Canadian novelist Michael Ondaatje with the money he received as joint-winner of the Booker Prize for his novel The English Patient...
, which led to its publication in 2005. Subsequently, the book won Best Novel at the 2006 State Literary Awards and was on the 2007 long list for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award
International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award
The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award is an international literary award for a work of fiction, jointly sponsored by the city of Dublin, Ireland and the company IMPAC. At €100,000 it is one of the richest literary prizes in the world...
.
Blacker's blog, the Blacklight Arrow, was one of the most popular Sri Lankan websites during the war, and Dr Dayan Jayatillake, Sri Lanka's former permanent representative to the UN in Geneva is quoted as saying “The Blacklight Arrow was way ahead in analysing and projecting the war as it unfurled this time. I have read and met commentators on military and strategic/security affairs from the UK, US, India, Russia and Israel and this guy Blacker is world class, and would be recognised as such except he’s too damn lazy to write. His knowledge of world military history is enormous. As a member of the International Expert Panel of Security Index, the top journal of security studies out of Moscow, I can safely say I know of no Sri Lankan or Sri Lankan-born analyst of military affairs who is better.”
Articles from Blacker's blog have also been reproduced in the Times of India and Sri Lanka's Sunday Island.
Blacker lives in Sri Lanka and is a creative director
Creative Director
A creative director is a position often found within the graphic design, film, music, fashion, advertising, media or entertainment industries, but may be useful in other creative organizations such as web development and software development firms as well....
and works in advertising.