Rohana Weerasinghe

Technopedia Center

Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science
S1 Informatics S1 Information Systems S1 Information Technology S1 Computer Engineering S1 Electrical Engineering S1 Civil Engineering

faculty of Economics and Business
S1 Management S1 Accountancy

Faculty of Letters and Educational Sciences
S1 English literature S1 English language education S1 Mathematics education S1 Sports Education

Rohana Weerasinghe - Wikipedia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous.
Find sources: "Rohana Weerasinghe" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Rohana Weerasinghe රෝහණ වීරසිංහ
At Nanda Malini Geethawali, Winnipeg, Canada
Born	(1949-02-18) 18 February 1949 (age 75) Algiriya, Matara, Sri Lanka
Other names	Dickmadugodage Rohana Chithrakumara Weerasingha
Education	University of the Visual and Performing Arts
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer, singer, teacher, advisor to the president
Spouse	Batapola Arachchige Leela Beatrice De Silva
Children	2
Relatives	Priyani Jayasinghe (cousin daughter)
Website	rohanaweerasingheonline.com

Dr. Rohana Weerasinghe (born February 18, 1949), is a Sri Lankan musician, composer and singer.^[1]

Early life

Weerasinghe was born on 18 February 1949 in Algiriya, Matara in southern Sri Lanka. He was the youngest child to his parents Henry Weerasinghe and Sepalin Weerasinghe. In 1954, Weerasinghe started schooling from Good Shepard Family Convent in Nuwara Eliya, and later moved to Vidyachakra Buddhist School Ruwan Eliya, Welimada Maha Vidyalaya, Pannipitya Dharmapala Vidyalaya^[2] and Gamini Maha Vidyalaya Nuwara Eliya.

In 1977, Weerasinghe married to Leela Beatrice De Silva, a dancing teacher in profession. They had two sons, Kalindu Gajaba and Chirath Kanishka.^[3]

His cousin daughter Priyani Jayasinghe was also a popular actress in Sri Lanka, who sang the popular hits Kandula Niwannam and Sundara Hadakata. She was killed at the age of 51 by her husband using a pair of scissors on 18 July 2018.^[4]

Music

Weerasinghe learnt the basics of music from K.V.S Perera Kithsiri Aluthge. He was able to enter the Government Music School of Sri Lanka for further studies in Oriental Music by mastering Sitar. Later he joined maestro Premasiri Khemadasa as a Sitar player in his Orchestra. Weerasinghe became a key Sitar player for music concerts of prominent Singers in Sri Lanka such as Victor Ratnayake's Sa, Nanda Malini's Shrawana Aradhana and Sanath Nandasiri's Swarna Kundala.

Weerasinghe taught music in D. S. Senanayake College, Senananda Maha Vidyalaya Meepilimanna and Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte as a government music teacher. In 1982, he joined "Sing Lanka" studios as a Sound Engineer. At that time, he composed T. M. Jayaratne's Ekasitha dethanaka, Hiruta Horen and Neela Wickramasinghe's Punchi Sithe Punchi Sina which became popular songs in Sri Lanka.

So far he has created melodies for over 8000 songs, which includes films, teledramas, stage plays.^[5]^[6]

Weerasinghe has been the Advisor to the President of Sri Lanka in Cultural and Aesthetic Affairs since 2006.

Notable performances

Live performances of Ransara Dahara at Arts Centre Melbourne in 2004^[7]
Rohana Ransara performed at Sydney Opera House in 2006^[8]^[9]
Live performance at Millennium Dome, London in 2008^[10]

Awards

Year	Award	Title	Production
1982	Sarasaviya	Best Music Director	Aaradhana
1987	Sarasaviya	Best Music Director	Aadara Hasuna
1991	Sarasaviya	Best Music Director	Saharave Sihinaya
1991	SIGNIS	Best Music Director	Saharave Sihinaya
1991	Swarnasankha	Best Music Director	Saharave Sihinaya
1994	Presidential Awards	Best Music Director	Saptha Kanya
1994	Sarasaviya	Best Music Director	Madara Parasathu
1994	Presidential Awards	Best Music Director	Madara Parasathu
1998	Sarasaviya	Best Music Director	Seilama
1999	Sarasaviya	Best Music Director	Veesidela
2003	Presidential Awards	Best Music Director	Me Mage Sandai
2007	Presidential Awards	Best Music Director	Anjalika
1982	Vijaya Rupavahini Awards	Best Music Director	Rekha
1983	Vijaya Rupavahini Awards	Best Music Director	Sudu saha kalu
1992	SIGNIS	Best Music Director	Dunhinda addara
1994	Sumathi Awards	Best Music Director	Sankranthi Samaya
1998	Sumathi Awards	Best Music Director	Vilambeetha^[11]
2002	SIGNIS	Best Music Director	Gajaman Nona
2008	Raigam Awards	Best Music Director	Rala Bindena Thena
1990	Rasa Awards	Best Music Director^[12]	Thala mala pipila
1991	Rasa Awards	Best Music Director	Maghatha
1997	Rasa Awards	Most Popular Song	Sandapanak se awidin
1997	Rasa Awards	Most Popular Song	Ranmalak Lesa
1997	Rasa Awards	Most Popular Music Director in Sri Lanka	N/A
2004	Government Drama Award	Special Recognition	N/A
2009	Eagle Insurance	Eagle Awards of Excellence^[13]	N/A

Publications

Lankika Sangeethayei Rohana Lakuna – Rohana Icon in Sri Lankan Music, Edited by Ravi Siriwardhana and Samudhra Wettasinghe, 2002
Gaman Magak – Along a Winding Path, Biography of Rohana Weerasinghe, 2009^[14]^[15]

References

^ "Rohana : The melody master". Dailynews.lk. 19 January 2002. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
^ "Features – Happenings / People". Sundayobserver.lk. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
^ "'Tunes are all I have to take your heart away'". Sundayobserver.lk. 27 July 2008. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
^ "Dreams of Priyani (television show)". webgossip. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
^ Ruwini Jayawardana (18 February 1949). "'Bahasabe' to visit Sri Lanka". Dailynews.lk. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
^ Ruwini Jayawardana (18 February 2009). "60th birth anniversary today and 35 years in the music scene". Dailynews.lk. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
^ "RAN SWARA DHARA – 2004". anandaoba.org. 7 March 2004. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
^ "The Sinhala touch at Sydney Opera House". Sundaytimes.lk. 13 August 2006. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
^ "Rohana creates history in Australia". Sunday Times. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
^ Mahes Perera (18 May 2008). "Young talent of a high standard". Sundayobserver.lk. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
^ "Sumathi Awards 1998". Sumathiawards.lk. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
^ "Online edition of Daily News – Features". Dailynews.lk. 19 January 2002. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
^ BT Options (Pvt) Ltd. "BUSINESS TODAY – Eagle Awards of Excellence presented to Dr D B Nihalsinha and Rohana Weerasinghe". Businesstoday.lk. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
^ Devaka Weerakoon (15 November 2009). "Informative guide to Sri Lanka's wildlife". Sundayobserver.lk. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
^ Vīrasiṃha, Rōhaṇa (2009). Along a Winding Path. Rohana Weerasinghe. ISBN 9789555197106.

External links

v t e Sinhala music
Sinhala language Music of Sri Lanka
Male singers	Abeywardena Balasuriya Ajith Bandara Allen Ratnayake Amarasiri Peiris 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 Nadeeka Guruge 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 Rookantha Gunathilake Rukshan Perera Sadiris Master Saman Lenin Sanath Nandasiri 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 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 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 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

Categories:

Hidden categories:

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF FAST WorldCat
National	United States
Artists	MusicBrainz