Dayarathna Ranatunga

Born

Ranatunga Arachchige Dayaratne Ranatunga

29 October 1940 (age 85)

OccupationsSinger, Music Director

Dr. Dayarathna Ranatunga දයාරත්න රණතුංග
Born	Ranatunga Arachchige Dayaratne Ranatunga (1940-10-29) 29 October 1940 (age 85) Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Education	Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte
Alma mater	Bhatkhande University
Occupations	Singer, Music Director
Spouse	Amara Ranatunga (m. 1964)
Children	3
Parents	Charles Peter Ranatunga (father) Dona Maslin Kolombage (mother)
Awards	Bharatha Mithra Janabhimani
Musical career
Genres	Pop soul Ragadhari music Indian classical music
Instrument	Vocals
Years active	1984–present
Labels	Vijitha Trade Centre
Musical artist

Dr. Ranatunga Arachchige Dayarathna Ranatunga (Sinhala:දයාරත්න රණතුංග: born 29 October 1940), popularly as Dayarathna Ranatunga, is a Sri Lankan singer and music director. One of the most honored singers of Sri Lanka, Dayarathna is considered as an icon in Ragadhari music in Sri Lanka.^[1]

Dayaratne was born on 29 October 1940 as the youngest child to a family of six in Nawala, Nugegoda. His father, Charles Peter Ranatunga, was a school principal and his mother, Dona Maslin Kolombage, was a housewife. He completed his education from Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte. After his SSC exam, he attended Zahira College, Colombo and studied in the Maths stream. During his years in school, he excelled at Volleyball and Wrestling.^[2]

Dayarathna's elder sister, Somalatha Ranatunga, is also a singer. Dayarathna's maternal uncle D. M. Kolambage was the first Sinhala announcer at the Radio Ceylon.^[2]

He was married to Prof. Amara Ranatunga^[3] (born as Dona Amara Kasthuriarachchi) where they got registered on 8 August 1963 and celebrated their wedding on 30 January 1964. Amara was born on 22 August 1939 at Hanwella as the fifth child of the family with eleven siblings. Her father, Don Wiyolis Kasthuriarachchi, was the Head Master of the Hanwella Primary School. Her mother, Dona Alpinona Meegahapola, was a housewife. She completed her education at Hanwella Central College. In 1961, Amara entered Bhatkhande University in India where she later became the first Sri Lankan Professor in Hindustani classical music in the University of Visual and performing arts.^[4]^[5]

On 16 October 2018, Amara died at the age of 79 while receiving treatment at a private hospital for a heart attack.^[6] Her remains were brought to the University of the Visual & Performing Arts at 1.00 pm and later the final rites were held at the Borella General Cemetery on 18 October 2018.^[7]^[8]

The couple has two sons: Nanditha Sarada and Pulasthi Indika, and a daughter, Kumudumathie Rupashika.^[9] Their son Pulasthi sang the song Senpathiyan Gena Nawpathiyan Gena with his mother Amara at the age of eight.^[10] Nanditha is married to Sadhana Abeysekara, who is the granddaughter of late songstress Wasantha Sandanayake.^[11] Sadhana's sister, Supriya, is also a popular singer in Sri Lanka.^[12]

Career

While in the school in 1952, Dayarathna joined Heywood and mastered classical music. Both Dayarathna and Amara began studying classical music at the age of twelve. He was the first male student of Heywood, whereas Amara was the first female student. After his school years, he completed the London B.Sc. in Maths. At the end of the six-year course at the Heywood College of Music, Amara and Dayaratne got teaching appointments at the age of 18. Amara was appointed to the Hanwella school and Dayaratne received the appointment at Richmond College, Galle. However, he quit from the job after one day. Later, he joined Maradana technical college.^[13]

After that, he joined with the Buddhist University College, Rosmead Place for a short period. To accomplish as a musician, he went India and studied Eastern Music in Bhatkhande University. He later obtained Visharada along with his wife Amara.^[14] In 1964, he was selected to a research officer post at the Tyre Corporation.^[13] Without any satisfaction from the career, he again moved to music where he was invited for Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC). In 1969, she joined with SLBC as the first Producer in the Music Unit. In 1978, he was promoted as the Head of Department - Controller of Sinhala Music.^[2]

In 1984, Dayarathna became the Director of Music and Music Research where he was the in-charge of all four music units - Sinhala, English, Tamil, Hindi and Muslim, as well as all the regional services.^[15] He continued to render the musical service and guidance to the music field through the SLBC and finally retired in 1996. His duet 'Maha Re yame' was first sung by him and his elder sister, Somalatha Ranatunga.^[2]^[13]

Apart from music, Dayarathna wrote several classical books to the local students who sit for the Bhathkanda classical exams such as "Sangeetha Vimarshana" and "Sangeethaya".^[14] He is also the pioneer to introduce music as a therapy for the first time in Sri Lanka with his book "Music Mind Therapy".^[15] In his book, "Polynesian Music and Dancing" depicts the culture and performing arts of Oceanian islands; Australia, New Zealand and Fiji Islands. He also wrote a children's book, "Salmal".^[2] In 1994, he won the UNDA International Award.^[16]

In 1997, to commemorate the 55th Independence of India, the Indian Government awarded "Bharatha Mithra" to Dayarathna and his wife Amara.^[15] From 1997 to 2001, Dayarathna and Amara became lecturers on North Indian Classical music in the Ethno Musicology Department at the California University.^[2] On 6 December 2007, a felicitation ceremony, a completed CD album produced by Vijitha Trade Centre label known as "Udumbara" in 2008 "Maha Re Yame, Dayaratna-Amara Abhinandana" was held at 6.30 p.m. at BMICH.^[16] On 17 August 2011, a CD containing new songs was released at 5 pm in the Ananda Samarakoon studio of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. On that day, Yapa Bandara Seneviratne's book "Sinhala Sangeethaye Dayaratne Ranatunga Suvipul Siyatsara" was also released.^[14]

In 2019, The Janabhimani or Hela Maha Rawana Rajabhimani Awards Ceremony was held at the Jasmine Auditorium at the BMICH where Dayarathna won the Best Service Award.^[17]

v t e Sinhala music
Sinhala language Music of Sri Lanka
Male singers	Abeywardena Balasuriya Ajith Bandara Allen Ratnayake Amarasiri Peiris Anil Bharathi Annesley Malewana Anton Jones C. T. Fernando Chandra Kumara Kandanarachchi Chandrasena Hettiarachchi Chitral Somapala Clarence Wijewardena Cliff Foenander Dasun Madushan Dayan Witharana Dayarathna Ranatunga Deepal Silva Desmond de Silva Dhanapala Udawaththa Dharmaratne Brothers Dinesh Kanagaratnam Edward Jayakody Freddie Silva Gamini Susiriwardana Gratien Ananda Gunadasa Kapuge H. R. Jothipala Henry Caldera Indrachapa Liyanage Ivor Dennis J. A. Milton Perera J. P. Chandrababu Jagath Wickramasinghe Jaya Sri Kamal Addararachchi Karunarathna Divulgane Kasun Kalhara Keerthi Pasquel Lahiru Perera Lakshman Wijesekara Lionel Ranwala M. S. Fernando Madhumadhawa Aravinda Mervin Perera Milton Mallawarachchi Mohideen Baig Morris Wijesinghe Nalin Jayawardena Namal Udugama Narada Disasekara Nihal Nelson Nihal Samarasinghe Nuwan Gunawardana P. L. A. Somapala Paul Fernando Pradeep Rangana Prince Udaya Priyantha Priya Suriyasena Punsiri Soysa R. A. Chandrasena R. Muttusamy Raju Bandara Rookantha Gunathilake Rukshan Perera Sadiris Master Saman Lenin Sanath Nandasiri Sanka Dineth Sathish Perera Senaka Batagoda Shelton Perera Shihan Mihiranga Bennet Shirley Waijayantha Sisira Senaratne Somasiri Medagedara Suneera Sumanga Sunil Edirisinghe Sunil Perera Sunil Santha T. M. Jayaratne Tharanga Goonetilleke Upali Kannangara Victor Rathnayake Vijaya Kumaranatunga W. D. Amaradeva W. D. Ariyasinghe
Female singers	Amara Ranatunga Amitha Wedisinghe Angeline Gunathilake Chandralekha Perera Chandrika Siriwardena Charitha Priyadarshani Deepika Priyadarshani G. S. B. Rani Indrani Perera Indrani Wijebandara Latha Walpola Leela Asoka Madhavee Wathsala Malani Bulathsinhala Mariazelle Goonetilleke Mercy Edirisinghe Mignonne Fernando Nanda Malini Neela Wickramasinghe Nirosha Virajini Nuwandhika Senarathne Pradeepa Dharmadasa Priyani Jayasinghe Rukmani Devi Saheli Rochana Gamage Sashika Nisansala Sujatha Aththanayaka Umaria Sinhawansa Uresha Ravihari Wasantha Sandanayake
Music directors	Allen Ratnayake W. D. Amaradeva Ananda Samarakoon Bibiladeniye Mahanama R. A. Chandrasena Clarence Wijewardena Dilup Gabadamudalige Dinesh Subasinghe Gunadasa Kapuge H. M. Jayawardena Kasun Kalhara Lakshman Joseph de Saram Lionel Algama Lionel Ranwala Marcelline Jayakody Mohammed Gauss Nanda Malini Patrick Denipitiya P. L. A. Somapala Premasiri Khemadasa R. Muttusamy Rohana Beddage Rohana Weerasinghe Rookantha Gunathilake Sarath Dassanayake Shelton Perera Shihan Mihiranga Bennet Somapala Rathnayake Stanley Peiris Sunil Santha Thilan Wijesinghe Victor Rathnayake W.B. Makuloluwa
Lyricists	Ajantha Ranasinghe Arisen Ahubudu Bandara Wijethunga Carlo Fonseka Chandrasena Thalangama Cliff Foenander D. T. Fernando Dharmasiri Gamage Herbert M. Seneviratne Karunaratne Abeysekera Kumaratunga Munidasa Lucien Bulathsinhala Madawala S. Rathnayake Mahagama Sekara Marcelline Jayakody Nalin Jayawardena Premakeerthi de Alwis Saman Chandranath Weerasinghe Senaka Batagoda Sydney Chandrasekara Vicumpriya Perera Wasantha Dukgannarala W.B. Makuloluwa

Dayarathna Ranatunga

Career

References

External links

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