Sanath Nandasiri

Nandasiri was born on 15 February 1942 in Gothatuwa, Sri Lanka, as the third child to businessman and building contractor, H. M. William Perera and Dona Amalin Katugampola, a housewife.{{Cite web |date=15 December 2021 |title=මිහිරාවී ලොව ගී රජදහනේ නැළවෙමු මා මිහිරේ ඔබ පා සෙවණේ ගී ගයනෙමි |url=https://www.sarasaviya.lk/interviews/2021/12/16/21611/මිහිරාවී-ලොව-ගී-රජදහනේ-නැළවෙමු-මා-මිහිරේ-ඔබ-පා-සෙවණේ-ගී-ගයනෙමි |access-date=16 December 2021 |website=සරසවිය}} He completed his primary education from Gothatuwa Maha Vidyalaya and St. Matthew's College, Dematagoda for O/Ls.{{Cite web |title=I have kept me quiet since I started doing music – Prof. Sanath Nandasiri |url=https://divaina.com/daily/images/Paper/2019/01/12/sanakpage.jpg |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Divaina}} Then he attended Mahabodhi Maha Vidyalaya for Advanced Level and finally Stafford College to study English.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/06/11/life/2.asp|title=The melody within a passionate musician|accessdate=11 June 2007|year=2007|work=Daily Mirror |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930225140/http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/06/11/life/2.asp |archivedate = 30 September 2007}} During school times, he excelled as an athlete as well as a Elle player. He was a good short-distance runner and won trophies in the 100 meters.{{Cite web |title=Before sports and art as well as meditation I was a good athlete: music expert Professor Sanath Nandasiri |url=https://www.silumina.lk/2021/01/16/ක්%E2%80%8Dරීඩා/ක්%E2%80%8Dරීඩාවත්-කලාව-වගේම-භාවනාවක්-ඉස්සර-මමත්-හොඳ-ක්%E2%80%8Dරීඩකයෙක්?page=1 |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Silumina}} Nandasiri has one elder sister, one elder brother, one younger sister and one younger brother, Nimal Chandrasiri.{{Cite web |title=She was a little girl at that time: Sanath Nandasiri |url=https://gossip.hirufm.lk/20386/2018/01/sanath-nandasiri.html |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Hiru FM}}

Nandasiri married singer Malkanthi Nandasiri née Peiris on 18 December 1971.{{Cite web |title=Mommy is her name: Scholar Malkanthi Nandasiri opens the memory book |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/features/2019/09/19/9460/මමී-එයාගේ-නම |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Sarasaviya}} He met Malkanthi during a vesak drama called 'Mara Parajaya' in 1967. They collaborated on songs before and after their marriage. When their son was born in 1971, he was a normal overweight child and put the name, Sanjaya Madhava. But the son died after three days.{{Cite web |title=The line of destiny |url=http://www.silumina.lk/2017/02/18/රසඳුන/දෛව-රේඛාව |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Silumina}} Their second child was a daughter, Nishamani Anuradha who was born 14 February 1974. Anuradha, also a musician,{{Cite web |title=I want to build my own identity: VIsharad Anuradha Nandasiri |url=http://www.silumina.lk/2018/03/03/සත්මඩල/මට-ඕනෙ-මගේ-ම-අනන්%E2%80%8Dයතාවක්-ගොඩනඟා-ගන්නයි |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Silumina}} is currently back in Sri Lanka with her husband.

Born as the eldest daughter, Malkanthi has three sisters: Nirmala, Niranjala, Sakunthala and two brothers: Kumar, and Manoj.{{Cite web |title=A quiet, loving voice |url=http://archives.dinamina.lk/2010/04/02/_art.asp?fn=f1004022 |access-date=15 June 2021 |website=Dinamina}} Nirmala Ranatunga is also a singer who was married to a prominent tabla player Wijeratne Ranatunga.{{Cite web |title=My secret is that there is no secret Orchestral scholar Manoj Peiris |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/interviews/2019/06/20/6141/රහසක්-නැති-එකයි-මගේ-රහස |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Sarasaviya}} Nirmala's daughter Sewwandi Ranathunga is also a singer.{{Cite web |title=Rhythma Tharanga |url=http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2006/12/10/spe05.asp |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Sunday Observer}}{{Cite web |title=A moment when 'Sewwandi + Anuradha' met |url=https://www.lankadeepa.lk/latest_news/‘සෙව්වන්දි---අනුරාධා’-හමු-වූ-මොහොතක්/1-335802 |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Lankadeepa}} Nirajala Sarojani is also a singer who was married to late musician Abeywardena Balasuriya who died on 26 March 2010 at the age of 63.{{Cite web |title=Dear Abe I have made your dream come true: Niranjala Sarojini |url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2013/07/11/?fn=sa1307115 |access-date=15 June 2021 |website=Sarasaviya}}{{Cite web |title=It has been three years completed that Abe has said goodbye |url=https://www.divaina.com/2013/03/24/nimna04.html |access-date=15 June 2021 |website=Divaina}} With the demise of Abeywardena, Niranjala has also retired from singing.{{Cite web |title=My heart is full of thoughts about him: Niranjala Sarojani |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/interviews/2021/06/10/20573/මගෙ-හිත-පිරී-තිබෙන්නේ-ඔහු-ගැන-සිතුවිල්ලෙන් |access-date=15 June 2021 |website=Sarasaviya}} Sakunthala worked at Veritas Radio in Manila. Manoj Peiris is a renowned tabla player and musician of Sri Lanka.{{Cite web |title=Manoj Pieris: The lovable star tunesmith |url=https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/daily-mirror-sri-lanka/20190513/282896617067388 |access-date=15 June 2021 |website=Daily Mirror}}{{Cite web |title=Brother-in-law's tabla was stolen and he became a tabla expert |url=https://www.silumina.lk/2020/08/22/රසඳුන/මස්සිනාගේ-තබ්ලාව-හොරෙන්-ගහලා-තබ්ලා-විශාරදයකු-වූ-කලා-පවුලේ-බඩ-පිස්සා?page=1 |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Silumina}}

Sanath Nandasiri died at his residence in Colombo, on 28 March 2023, at the age of 81.[https://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=89387 Veteran singer and musician Sanath Nandasiri passes away]

Nandasiri first appeared on Sinhala Radio at the age of 13 in 1955. During this period, he got the opportunity to work with Madawala S. Ratnayake, Nanda Jayamanne, Karunaratne Abeysekera and Sanath Wimalaweera. At the age of 17, he began studying the tabla instrument under D. R. Peiris soon after, where he was Peiris' first student at this class held at the YMBA Hall in Borella. He connected Nandasiri to his various radio and outdoor programs and got to participate in radio folk singing programs once a month. In 1960 at the age of 19, Nandasiri travelled to India to continue his studies at Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University. His teachers at the academy included Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa, G. N. Nattu, Ustad Mokshut Ali, Pandit Hari Shankar Misra and Ustad Rahimmuddeen Khan Daga. While in India, Nandasiri composed several songs that appeared on Lucknow radio.

In 1965, he returned to Sri Lanka and joined the radio and started singing career. He was selected for the Government College of Music and was teaching at Uhana Maha Vidyalaya in Ampara on 7 September 1967. Then he applied for the position of University Lecturer, but did not call for the interview. However in 1974 with the help of I. M. R. A. Iriyagolle, Nandasiri joined the staff of University of Kelaniya as a lecturer. Nandasiri served as the head of music at the university from 1988 to 1992.{{cite web|url=http://www.artsfoundationnw.com/archives.htm|title=Geethanjali|accessdate=11 June 2007|year=2005|publisher=Arts Foundation of the Northwest}} Nandasiri took the Part I examination in vocal music and obtained first class at the "Nipun" examination in 1992 becoming the first Sri Lankan to achieve this task.

In 1972, Nandasiri recorded the song Mahada Veena which was included in the Soorya album titled 'Songs and Rhythms of Sri Lanka'. Further he recorded "Sanda Balanna" and "Gamey Kopi Kade" composed by Premasiri Khemadasa in the 70s which were well received and popular. In 1974, Nandasiri launched his first solo concert 'Swarna Kundala' which was later performed for more than 250 concerts.{{Cite web |title=You can not become a musician just by holding a guitar – Professor Sanath Nandasiri |url=https://divaina.com/daily/index.php/visheshanga3/8520-2018-03-08-13-10-43 |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Divaina}} In 1979, he recorded his first full album with the same title of his concert "Swarna Kundala" for Gemtone. This included his popular songs "Kisiwak Nokiyana" and "Egodaha Kandey". After that he recorded three major albums for Singlanka 1980 and 1981 which included some of his best known songs such as "Eka Yayata Mal" and "Mama Nam Asayi". In addition, he has recorded songs for films most notably under the music direction of Premasiri Khemadasa.

After the birth of his daughter, he started a song concert called 'Anuradha' in 1982. Malkanthi Nandasiri also sang with him at the concert. In 1998, he started a formal education center 'Gandhari' to teach music. The institute offers singing and tabla playing related to the first and middle scholar examinations conducted annually by the Bhatkhande College of Music, India as well as music related to school syllabus up to grades 6–11.{{Cite web |title=Learn music from Sangeeth Nipun Sanath |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/news/2018/11/16/772/සංගීත්-නිපුන්-සනත්ගෙන්-ඉගෙනගන්න |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Sarasaviya}}

In 2015, Nandasiri launched the 'Prathama Wasanthayai' concert where his daughter Anuradha also sang with Malkanthi Nandasiri.{{Cite web |title=Soft-voiced Guru Parental Love: Du Anuradha: Sanath – Malkanthi – Anuradha |url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2018/03/08/?fn=sa18030814 |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Sarasaviya}} On 11 March 2018, the concert titled 'Du Anuradha' was held at 6.30 pm at Nelum Pokuna Theater.{{Cite web |title=Sanath – Malkanthi Thirty years later he takes his daughter Anuradha and lands in the Nelum Pokuna |url=https://divaina.com/sunday/images/paper/2018/02/25/meewitha/sanath.jpg |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Divaina}} He was appointed Chancellor of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts in 2016 by president Maithripala Sirisena after the demise of Pandit Amaradewa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsfirst.lk/2016/11/23/visharada-sanath-nandasiri-gets-new-appointment-visual-performing-arts-university/|title=Visharada Sanath Nandasiri gets new appointment at Visual and Performing Arts University|date=23 November 2016|website=Sri Lanka News – Newsfirst}}{{Cite web |title=Sanath Nandasiri, new Chancellor of the University of Aesthetics |url=https://www.lankadeepa.lk/latest_news/සෞන්දර්ය-සරසවියේ-කුලපති-සනත්-නන්දසිරි/1-482987 |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Lankadeepa}} On 12 October 2017, an Inquisitive and Aesthetic Book titled "Sinhala Sangeethaye Sanath Nandasiri Sanathana Gee Miyasi' written by Yapa Bandara Seneviratne was released at 4.15 pm at the Colombo Public Library Auditorium.{{Cite web |title=A book about Sanath Nandasiri |url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2014/07/24/?fn=sa1407248 |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Sarasaviya}}{{Cite web |title=Sanath Nandasiri is a magnificent lotus: Yapa Bandara Seneviratne |url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2017/10/12/?fn=sa17101221 |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Sarasaviya}}

On 24 February 2018, a ceremony was held at the Western Province Aesthetic University Resort Auditorium to pay homage to Sanath Nandasiri with a concert titled 'Ninnada 2018 Thunpath Rata Swara Dehana'. During the event, the President Maithripala Sirisena presented special honorary award to Nandasiri.{{Cite web |title=The President is the Chief Guest at the 'Ninnada 2018 Thunpath Rata Swara Dehana' concert |url=http://www.dinamina.lk/2018/02/26/පුවත්/49642/‘නින්නාද-2018-තුන්පත්-රටා-ස්වර-දැහැන’-ප්%E2%80%8Dරසංගයේ-ප්%E2%80%8Dරධාන-ආරාධිතයා-ජනපති?page=1 |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Dinamina}} On 4 September 2019, a collection of 100 lyrics and chords of Nandasiri's songs titled "Rasanandaya", was released at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.{{Cite web |title=Prof. Sanath Nandasiri's 'Rasanandaya' on the 4th |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/news/2019/08/29/8650/මහාචාර්ය-සනත්-නන්දසිරිගේ-රසානන්දය-04-දා |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Sarasaviya}} In the same year, he was honoured with Janabhimani Honorary Award at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall.{{Cite web |title=Presented Janabhimani to veteran legends |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/news/2019/02/07/2818/ජනාභිමාණි-පිරිනැමුණු-අයුරු?page=6 |access-date=16 June 2021 |website=Sarasaviya}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.siyalla.com/sinhala-lyrics/artist-Sanath-Nandasiri/page1/ Sanath Nandasiri Lyrics]
• [https://jpromolk.com/sanath-nandasiri/ Sanath Nandasiri Contact Details]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxMxJrGUTao Sanath Nandasiri Interview]
• {{discogs artist|Sanath Nandasiri}}
• {{imdb name|2770722}}

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{{Sinhala music|state=collapsed}}

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Category:1942 births

Category:2023 deaths

Category:Sinhalese singers

Category:20th-century Sri Lankan male singers

Category:Kala Keerthi

Category:People from Colombo District