->Rathfelder at 17:18, 21 October 2021

2021-10-21T17:18:51Z

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{{use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = Prof.
| name = Amara Ranatunga <br> අමරා රණතුංග
| other_names =
| image_size =
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Dona Amara Kasthuriarachchi
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1939|08|22|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Gampaha]], Sri Lanka
| death_date = {{death date and age|2018|10|16|1939|08|22|mf=yes}}
| death_place = [[Colombo]]
| resting_place = Borella General Cemetery
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| nationality = [[Sri Lanka]]n
| alma_mater = [[Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University|Bhatkhande University]] <br> [[Banaras Hindu University]]
| education = Hanwella Rajasinghe Central College
| spouse = [[Dayarathna Ranatunga]] (m. 1964)
| children = 3
| awards = Bharatha Mithra <br> Janabhimani
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
| occupation = Singer, Music Director
| module = {{Infobox musical artist
| embed = yes
| instrument = Vocals, [[Tanpura]]
| genre = {{hlist|[[Pop music|Pop]]|[[Soul music|soul]]|{{nowrap|Ragadhari music}}|[[Indian classical music]]}}
| years_active = 1948–present
| label = {{hlist|Nilwala|Ransilu}}
| associated_acts =
}}
}}

[[Professor|Prof.]] '''Dona Amara Kasthuriarachchi''' ([[Sinhala language|Sinhala]]:අමරා රණතුංග: born 22 August 1939 – 16 October 2018), popularly as '''Amara Ranatunga''', was a Sri Lankan singer and music director.<ref name= amarar>{{cite web | url=http://www.silumina.lk/2018/10/28/පුන්කලස/සුභා%C2%ADවිත-ගීත%C2%ADයේත්-ශාස්ත්%E2%80%8Dරීය-සංගී%C2%ADත%C2%ADයේත්-නොබි%C2%ADඳුණු-පාලම | title=The unbroken bridge between classical music and classical music | publisher=Silumina | accessdate=26 August 2020}}</ref> One of the most honored singers of Sri Lanka, Amara is the first Professor of Music in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Sunil-Ariyaratne-and-Nanda-Malini-Away-from-a-musical-sensibility-137860.html |title=Sunil Ariyaratne and Nanda Malini: Away from a musical sensibility|publisher=Daily Mirror |accessdate=2 August 2020}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
{{main|Sri Lanka cinema family}}
Amara was born on 22 August 1939 in Batuwatta, Gampaha as the fifth child of the family with eleven siblings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deshaya.lk/article/52/හදසර/8963/’’සපුමල්-සුවඳක්-සේ-’’සුවඳ-ඉතිරි-කර-යන්න-ගියා|title="Smells like a flower" and left |publisher=Deshaya |accessdate=27 August 2020}}</ref> Her father, Don Wiyolis Kasthuriarachchi was the Head Master of the Hanwella Primary School. Her mother, Dona Alpinona Meegahapola was a housewife.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://divaina.com/daily/index.php/puwath-2/18451-2018-10-16-14-14-43 |title=Amara completes the anthem of life|publisher=Divaina |accessdate=27 August 2020}}</ref> Her father was from Batuwatta and my mother was from Mathugama. She was educated at Hanwella Primary School and later attended to Hanwella Rajasinghe Central College.<ref name= am>{{cite web |url=http://www.silumina.lk/2018/10/21/රසඳුන/ගී-ලොව-අමරා-දේවිය-ඔබ-අමරණීයයි |title=Goddess Amara, you are immortal|publisher=Silumina |accessdate=27 August 2020}}</ref> She played netball and attended other activities at school including learning ballet under maestro Wasantha Kumara.

She was married to Dr. [[Dayarathna Ranatunga]] (born as Ranatunga Arachchige Dayarathna Ranatunga) where they got registered on 8 August 1963 and celebrated wedding on 30 January 1964.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news24.lk/featured/11383/ |title=Veteran musician Amara Ranatunga passes away|publisher=news24 |accessdate=2 August 2020}}</ref> Dayarathna 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 education from [[Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte]]. After SSC exam, he attended to Zahira College, Colombo and studied in the Maths stream.<ref name= amaran>{{cite web |url=http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2008/09/14/spe07.asp|title=Reminiscence of life with a musical spouse |publisher=Sunday Observer |accessdate=26 August 2020}}</ref> In 1964, he was selected to a research officer post at the Tyre Corporation.<ref name= daya /> Without any satisfaction from the career, he again moved to music where he was invited for [[Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation]] (SLBC). In 1969, Dayarathna joined with SLBC as the first Producer in the Music Unit where he was promoted as the Head of Department - Controller of Sinhala Music in 1978. 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.<ref name= amaran />

The couple has two sons: Nanditha Sarada, Pulasthi Indika and a daughter, Kumudumathie Rupashika.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.silumina.lk/2018/10/28/රසඳුන/මට-හැම%C2%ADවෙ%C2%ADලා%C2%ADවෙම-හිතුණේ-අමරා-බොහොම-සියු%C2%ADමැ%C2%ADලියි-කියලා | title=I always thought Amara was so delicate | publisher=Silumina | accessdate=21 August 2020}}</ref> Their son, Pulasthi sang the song ''Senpathiyan Gena Nawpathiyan Gena'' with mother Amara at the age of eight.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/features/2018/11/17/825/අපේ-ගී-අයිතිය-දරුවන්ටයි | title=Our songs belong to children | publisher=Sarasaviya | accessdate=26 August 2020}}</ref> Nanditha is married to Sadhana Abeysekara, who is the granddaughter of late songstress [[Wasantha Sandanayake]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.lifie.lk/2020/02/22/lesser-known-relationships-of-sri-lankan-artists/ | title=Unknown relatives of Sri Lankan artists| publisher=lifie | accessdate=21 August 2020}}</ref> Sadhana's sister, Supriya is also a popular singer in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/feedback/2018/12/27/1956/ගී-යුගයක්-අවදි-කරන-සුප්%E2%80%8Dරියා | title=Supriya who awakens a song era | publisher=Sarasaviya | accessdate=21 August 2020}}</ref>

On 16 October 2018, Amara died at the age of 79 while receiving treatment at a private hospital for a heart attack.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.adaderana.lk/news/50725/prof-amara-ranathunga-passes-away |title=Prof. Amara Ranathunga passes away|publisher=Ada Derana |accessdate=2 August 2020}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/157074/Final-rites-for-Prof-Amara-Ranathunga |title=Final rites for Prof. Amara Ranathunga|publisher=Daily Mirror |accessdate=2 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newsfirst.lk/2018/10/16/veteran-singer-amara-ranthunge-passed-away-at-the-age-of-79/ |title=Veteran singer Amara Ranthunge passed away at the age of 79|publisher=News First |accessdate=2 August 2020}}</ref>

==Career==
She started her singing career at the age of eight or ten with the first song ''Yamuna Yamuna Sobana Yamuna''. She got the opportunity to sing in a play after recognizing Ananda Sarath Wimalaweera and U. A. S. Perera in her college days, who were involved in the radio service during this period. She got the opportunity of singing according to the music of the musician Lionel Edirisinghe, and playing a role in the play ''Keppetipola'' produced by the program 'Lama Uyana' presented by Sarath Wimalaweera. She was an artist in the "Lama Uyana" program in 1948-49 and soon sang a motherly song under the scholar B. S. Wijeratne. In 1950, she had the opportunity to act in Wasantha Kumara's play ''Sanda Kinduru''.<ref name= amarar /><ref name= amaran />

While in the school in 1952, Amara joined Heywood and mastered classical music under B. S. Wijeratne. Both Amara and Dayarathna began studying classical music at the age of twelve. Dayarathna was the first male student of Heywood, whereas Amara was the first female student. 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 Meegoda Central College and Dayaratne received the appointment at Richmond College, Galle.<ref name= daya>{{cite web | url=https://gossip.hirufm.lk/27289/2018/10/dayarathna-ranathunga.html | title=Dayarathna speaks about his wife | publisher=Hiru FM | accessdate=26 August 2020}}</ref> She continued to work as a teacher for 43 years.<ref name= am />

In 1961, Amara entered [[Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University|Bhatkhande University]] in India.<ref name= dayaama>{{cite web | url=https://www.divaina.com/2011/08/05/cineart01.html | title=The seniors are not silent, But people do not hear their voices | publisher=Divaina | accessdate=26 August 2020}}</ref> After returning to Sri Lanka in 1964, she worked as a lecturer at the Government College of Music on 1 February.<ref name= am /> Meanwhile, she became a graduate of the [[Banaras Hindu University]] and later served as the Head of the Department of Aesthetics at the [[University of Kelaniya]] for some time.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/daily-mirror-sri-lanka/20190819/282793538054161 |title=Amara Ranatunga 80th birth anniversary|publisher=News First |accessdate=2 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/daily-mirror-sri-lanka/20181029/282991105897641 |title=Amara Ranatunga: The Music Genius|publisher=Daily Mirror |accessdate=2 August 2020}}</ref> She studied "[[Dhrupad]]" vocal methods under Prof. [[Ritwik Sanyal]] and "[[Khyal]]" singing from Dr. Chitta Ranjan Jyothish.<ref name= amaran /> After the Department of Fine Arts was later transformed into the [[University of the Visual and Performing Arts]], Amara also served as its Professor and Head of the Department.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sinhala/sri-lanka-45874074 |title=Professor Amara will be "immortal" for his contribution to music in Sri Lanka|publisher=BBC Sinhala |accessdate=25 August 2020}}</ref>

In 1986, she started her career in music professionally. Due to her excellence in the field of classical research music, she also became its Head of Department and later promoted to professor in 1995. For her doctorate, she composed own classical melodies for 34 Hindi lyrics and 10 Sinhala songs. Her first duet came with her husband, ''Maha Ra Yame''. Later, she sang several popular classical songs such as ''Selalihiniyo Numba Danne Na'', ''Eye Ra Oba Sihinen'', ''Radha Krishna'' and ''Amara Devi''.<ref name= am /><ref name= amarar /> Apart from that, she wrote several books such as ''Amara Geetha'', ''Sarasa Sambhava'', ''Saundarya Avabodhaya'' and ''Sambhavya Sangeethaya''.<ref name= amaran />

In 1997, to commemorate the 55th Independence of India, the Indian Government awarded "Bharatha Mithra" to the Amara and her husband Dayarathna.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://webgossip.lk/dayarathna-ranathunga/ | title="It will not be able to fill that gap until I die" | publisher=webgossip | accessdate=26 August 2020}}</ref> From 1997 to 2001, Dayarathna and Amara became lecturers on North Indian Classical music in the Ethno Musicology Department at the California University.<ref name= amaran /> On 6 December 2007, a felicitation ceremony "Maha Re Yame, Dayaratna-Amara Abhinandana" was held at 6.30 p.m. at BMICH.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2007/11/25/spe05.asp|title=Maha Re Yame at BMICH |publisher=Sunday Observer |accessdate=26 August 2020}}</ref> 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.<ref name= dayaama />

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://gossip.hirufm.lk/19604/2017/12/dayarathna-ranathunga-amara.html Dayarathna and Amara Ranatunga]
* [http://www.sarasaviya.lk/features/2018/10/22/173/අමර-නම-තබා-අමරා-මියගියාය අමර නම තබා අමරා මියගියාය]
* [http://www.sarasaviya.lk/features-story/2020/04/23/17582/ගැහැනු-සිත-විනිවිද-දුටු-හැටි ගැහැනු සිත විනිවිද දුටු හැටි]
* [https://www.lifie.lk/2019/04/30/30-great-couples/ කෙටි කාලයකින් සබඳතා බිඳී යන කලා ලෝකයේ ආදර්ශවත් පවුල් කීපයක්]
* [https://www.lifie.lk/2019/11/04/jathaka-katha-and-songs/ ජාතක කතා ඇසුරින් හැදුණු සිංහල සිංදු]
* [http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2014/08/21/?fn=sa1408213 මා ගැනම පොතක්]
* [http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2015/04/02/?fn=sa15040228 ‘උදුම්බරා’ පරම්පරා තුනක් එක්තැන් කළා]

{{Sinhala Music |state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ranatunga, Amara}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Buddhists]]
[[Category:20th-century Sri Lankan women singers]]
[[Category:2018 deaths]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan composers]]
[[Category:Sinhalese singers]]
[[Category:Banaras Hindu University alumni]]
[[Category:Performers of Hindu music]]

Amara Ranatunga - Revision history

->Rathfelder at 17:18, 21 October 2021