Corea joined the Commercial Service of Radio Ceylon in 1964, lending his voice to the popular children's program Kiddies Corner.

Vijaya Corea is widely recognised as a pioneer in the introduction of Sinhala pop music at Radio Ceylon and the English Service.

He also holds the unbroken record of presenting 16 sponsored programs per week, Many professionals and others still recall how, in their youth, they would skip or delay attending classes in school and university to listen to Vijaya Corea's Morning Show programmes aired over radio.

As one of his protégés, the late Stanley Peiris, recounted: Way back in 1969, Vijaya urged me call over in Colombo to give him the break.

In the meantime, Vijaya got in touch with Gerald Wickremesooriya of the "Children's Book Shop" who produced records for his "Sooriya Label."

As a broadcaster, he played an exclusive role in spotting gifted musicians and providing them a venue for their talents, thus opening doors for them to make both a career and a livelihood.

Some of those who benefited from national exposure on his radio programmes include popular names such as Clarence Wijewardane, Annesley Malewana, Indrani Perera, the Gypsies, among others.

Star performers from Sri Lanka and abroad gathered together for the show Grand Salute to Vijaya Corea to pay a musical tribute to him on his 40th anniversary in electronic media and showbiz at the BMICH Conference Hall in Colombo on 6 August 2005.

On that occasion, Sri Lankan star and London-based artiste Desmond de Silva presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Corea from the Autism Awareness Campaign.