Sri Lanka, April 29 -- Deshabandu Sirisumana Godage, the founder of Godage Publications, has passed away at the age of 90.

He was conferred with the Deshabandu title in 2003 for the service rendered to the society.

Born in May 1936 in Palatuwa village in the Matara District, he was the sixth among nine siblings. He completed his education at Gunaratana Maha Vidyalaya in Palatuwa before moving to Kalutara at around the age of 15 due to financial difficulties faced by his family.

He initially worked as a bookbinder but lost his job unexpectedly. In 1957, he began a small partnership business, operating from a rented shop. During this period, he started binding books obtained from the Vidyodaya Pirivena in Maligakanda, gradually building ...