Iqbal Athas no more

One of Sri Lanka’s most prominent and senior most journalists Iqbal Athas passed away yesterday. He was 81.

FT Wednesday, 14 January 2026

Athas who set the benchmark for defence reporting in the country began his journalism career in the now defunct Sun newspaper and later worked as the long-time defence columnist and Political Editor of the Sunday Times. He was the Sunday Times Consultant Editor at the time of his demise.

His weekly insightful defence column in the Sunday Times was at times controversial but much loved by the readers that he became a household name among the newspaper readership in the country, His columns were translated into the vernacular so that they had wide reach among the population and allowed the public to get a unique insight into the major political and military developments in the country.

He faced threats to his life due to his exposure of corruption particularly in the military and had to leave the country on more than one occasion due to such threats.

Mr Athas was a long-time Colombo correspondent for US based CNN television and regular contributor for Jane’s Defence Weekly. He was among a CNN team that has won the Alfred I. Dupont – Columbia University awards for the coverage of the tsunami disaster in South Asia 2004 – 2005.

He had also worked as Colombo correspondent for Worldwide Television News (WTN) until it was acquired by Associated Press. He also served for 18 years as Colombo correspondent for United Press International (UPI). 

In 1994, he  won the International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and in  1998, he was named as Sri Lanka’s Journalist of the Year at the Journalism Awards of Excellence for his reporting on the armed conflict. 

The panel of judges on their citation said, “ he has irritated a few, provoked some to use physical violence against him and yet helped readers to understand the direction of the government’s battle with Tamil rebels. Despite threats and intimidation, he has continued to expose corruption, mismanagement and mishandling in the defence establishment.”

Veteran journalist Iqbal Athas of the Sunday Times passes away

Jan 13, 2026 Times On Line LK

The Political Editor of the  Sunday Times and former Defence Correspondent Iqbal Athas passed away this morning, his family said. He was 81. 

As a Defence and Political Analyst with the career spanning nearly six decades, Mr Athas covered extensively on country's turning events in its recent history from 1971 insurrection by then Peoples Liberation front (JVP) till Tamil separatist war that came to an end in 2009. 

His weekly insightful 'Situation Report" in the Sunday Times was well received by readers and analysts for decades informing the public on the developments on the war front. 

After 2009, he took over as the Political Editor of the weekend newspaper, reporting on the political developments that shaped the history of the country in the post- war period. 

Mr Athas was a longtime Colombo correspondent for US based CNN television and regular contributor for Jane's Defence Weekly. 

He was among a CNN team that has won the Alfred I. Dupont – Columbia University awards for the coverage of the tsunami disaster in South Asia 2004 – 2005. 

In 1998, he was named as Journalist of the Year 1998  for his reporting on the armed conflict which, according to the judges "has irritated a few, provoked some to use physical violence against him and yet helped readers to understand the direction of the government's battle with Tamil rebels. Despite threats and intimidation, he has continued to expose corruption, mismanagement and mishandling in the defence establishment."

His remains lie at No 11C/1, Siriwardena road (Hill street), Dehiwala. Burial will be at Dehiwela grand Jummah Masjid later today, the family said.