Sri Lanka, Aug. 9 -- Renowned author and retired English teacher of Nalanda College, Colombo, Usula Perera Wijesuriya passed away on Thursday, at the age of 93. She had served St John's College, Nugegoda, before she went to Nalanda College where she had worked for 20 years.

She wrote youth novels and won two Arts Council Awards and one State Literary Award for her adventure stories Ambergris, Slowly Down the River, and Fish Boys.

Her Songs of the Elders, a translation of Thera Gatha, also won a State Literary Award. Her other books include Songs of the Sisters (Theri Gatha), Follow the Sun and Bola.

An old student of St John's College, Panadura, Usula wrote a novel on Dutugemunu narrated from the viewpoint of Saliya his rebel son elopi...