Sri Lanka is a country with numerous valuable resources that showcase its establishment and firm basis. Everyone in the world always refers to its natural and historical value while praising the beauty they are adding to the country and its development. Yet, there is an unheard aspect of the country: the living resources that add value to the country. There are thousands of famous people who took the name of Sri Lanka to the highest possible places in the world, not only in one particular field but in many fields. Even the world is amazed to see the talent and the personality of these people despite the field they are engaged in. Nanda Malini is one such personality that amazed the world with her talents!
Who is Nanda Malini?
Among the most famous people in Sri Lanka, singers hold the top-most place, as the Sri Lankan performing arts including music and dancing have recognition all over the world. Despite the singer being male or female, hundreds of artists in Sri Lanka address the world in their language representing Sri Lanka. Among these pillars of pride, Nanda Malini is one of the all-time favorite singing personalities on this small island. Hence, ‘Nanda Malini’ is a name that cannot be easily unheard of by any citizen in Sri Lanka.
In fact, this is a name that is necessary for the establishment of the music industry of Sri Lanka. She is not just a random singer in the field, but an idol, a role model, and an inspiration in the field. No matter how fast the industry evolves, how many modern singers walk in, and how many different styles come in! Still, the classical voice of Nada Malini remains the same.
Up to date, no one could replace her voice, her style, or her personality. Since day one she has been reigning the field like a queen. These very reasons have made her the best-known and most respected female singer in Sri Lanka.
One of her specialties is that she specializes in addressing socio-political issues vocally through her songs. Hence, her songs always reach the audience faster and more impactfully as they touch the most intricate human relationships emotionally.
The Early Life of Malini
Being born as a small girl to a rural family of nine in Lewanduwa, Aluthgama on the 23rd of August, 1943, she could turn the music world of Sri Lanka upside down. She was born as the fifth daughter to a family of five daughters and four sons of a skillful tailor and a housewife. Although her family was not so fortunate to provide her with the facilities she needed to climb the ladder, she won her life unexpectedly.
Moving to Kotahena in Colombo as an adolescent, started to change her life toward the music industry. The basis for her career was put by her school, Sri Gunanda Vidyala, which could successfully identify her immense talent. Her tutor, T.N.Maragret Perera has pushed her through the path of performing arts, leveling up her inborn talents further. This grooming made Malini face the poetry competitions and bring back glory to her school.
Similarly, she could touch the heights of success in her career through the same, as she was invited to Radio Ceylon by W.D Amaradeva as a result of a victorious poetry competition. Being a fortunate young school girl, she could sing her first song with the strong pillar, W.D Amaradeva on a popular radio program. The program was ‘Lama Mandapaya’ by Karunaratne Abeysekara and she sang the song ‘Budu Sadhu’ with Master Amaradeva.
The Singing Career of Nanda Malini
We can identify a few different stages in Nanda Malini’s professional life.
Entering the Field
Impressed by Malini’s unique and rare vocals, W.D. Amradewa started to clear her path by offering her background singing in the first color film made in Sri Lanka, Ranmuthu Duwa. There she sang the duet, Galana Gangaki Jeewithe; the first song written by Chandrasen Manawasinghe for cinema, with Narada Disasekara. The specialty of this is that this same film won all the awards from Sarasavi Awards for the ‘Best Music of the Year’. In the same award ceremony, Nanda Malini was able to become the best female singer.
She started her career with such success, and she continued to become a legend in the field holding the same power throughout. The number of awards she has won throughout simply defines her success; 11 Sarasavi awards, 8 presidential awards, and the best female vocalist for 4 consecutive years from 1995-98. Having such an impressive journey from the start, she started improving her talents by reaching out to the country and taking training.
In fact, she started improving her inborn talent by sharpening it at B. Victor Perera, one of the most skilled musicians in Sri Lanka. Then she stepped out of the country and studied at Heywood Institute of Art, and after that at Bhatkhande Music Institute in Lucknow in India. She completed all this education while she was completing her studies at a state university in Sri Lanka.
So, after completing all these, she returned and ended her local studies in Visharada Course in 1984 at the University with a First Division Distinction. Likewise, in her young adolescent ages, she successfully completed the studies required for a professional singer. Then, she started her journey as an essential artist in the field.
Reaching the Pinnacle of the Music Industry
After returning to Sri Lanka as a professional musician who has accomplished all the needed educational qualifications, she once again returned to her first master, W.D. Amaradeva. She continued to sing in his program called ‘Maduvanthi’. That is exactly where she started to reach the heights of success by building a unique identity for herself as a singer in Sri Lanka.
With this program she sang the songs, ‘Sannaliyane’ and ‘Ran Dahadiya Bindu Bindu’. Along with these two songs, her songs started to be popular as a never-ending string. In fact, the songs are still on the favorite playlists of both the old and young generations.
However, including these songs, all her songs address meaningful and existing issues in society. This is where she became a unique musician in the field. Most of her songs are made on themes such as real-life situations, love, relationships, and emotions. Indeed, these are subjects that are so close to the audience, and thus, the majority of the Sri Lankans embraced them in no time.
For instance, her songs such as Pipunu Male Ruwa, Sudu Hamine, and Kadamandiye are about exposing the hearts of women. Moreover, her popular songs such as ‘Manda Nawa Karanawa’ address the experience and loneliness of a young woman. Likewise, she has addressed the completely neglected topics and tried to draw social attention to those issues. Sometimes she has raised topics that had been taboo in society as well.
That is how she became the Sri Lankan music industry’s nightingale, speaking the hearts of Sri Lankans. For the same reason, many consider her a humane singer as well.
Pinnacle of her Career
Thereafter, she started to reach the heights of her career by focusing on her individual growth. She started to be a part of concerts with strong pillars in the field. One such instance was when she became a part of the concert called “Sravana Aradhana” of Master W.D. Amaradewa in 1971. Later, she began performing solo concerts in 1973 and continued until 1979 when she completed 530 shows.
Then in 1981, she again initiated a solo concert called “Sathya Geethaya,” which ended with 500 shows in 1984. Since the audience did affectionately welcome her concerts, she kept on doing them to soothe the human souls who were busy earning their livelihood.
Her next solo concert, ‘Pavana,’ was released in 1987 and toured the country for two and a half years, performing 205 shows. According to the records, the songs in the concert ‘Pavana‘ had been banned by SLBC and SLRC, making the concert banned too. That shows the power of her songs and the controversy surrounding them.
However, after that particular incident, she stopped conducting solo concerts. But after almost 22 years, she gave fresh life to her solo concerts by introducing ‘Shwetha Rathriya‘ in 2010. This was a collaborative effort with a national TV channel in Sri Lanka, Sirasa TV. She became successful in this legendary journey too, as the Sri Lankan population embraced it impressively despite her being silent for so many years.
Legacy of Nanda Malini
Establishing her identity through her voice, she has been a massively talented vocalist in the Sri Lankan music industry since then. By extending her legacy beyond the scope of singing, she has established a music academy in Sri Lanka, namely the ‘Nanda Malini Ashram’. She has educated a large number of students to pursue their passions by establishing an academy to find hidden individuals in society.
Throughout her career, she has produced 25 cassettes with collections of her songs. Some of them are Malata Renu, Sadhu Nada, and Sari Podiththak. In 2007, she released her first CD, Etha Kandu Yaye, which included eight of her award-winning songs. After walking through such an impeccable journey just because of her soulful talent, she has been rewarded with countless awards and recognitions throughout her life.
The highest recognition she could earn was the honorary degree of ‘Darshana Shuri‘ – Doctor of Philosophy of Fine Arts, from the University of Visual and Performing Arts. It says that it was the first time that a female artist could gain recognition from a university in Sri Lanka. So, she is a controversial artist who opened up many opportunities for young, upcoming artists in the field.
Apart from industrial recognition, a hybrid orchid has been named after her “Nanda Malini Ascosanda’ in tribute to her legacy.
Her Albums
Her albums range for about more than 50 and some of them are as follows;
- Pereda Maha Ra
- Pahan Kanda
- Sathua Geethaya
- Hemanthayedi
- Tharuka Es
- Pavana
- Sindu Hodiya
- Kinduriyakage Vilapaya
- Madhu Bandung
- Tharu
- Malamada Bisau
- Cinema Geethwalokana
- Kiri Madu Wal
- Londanayesi Gayu Gee
- Yathra
- Handahami
- Sanka Padma
- Pembara Lanka
- Kunguma Pottu
- Gramophone Gee
- Araliya Landata
- Malata Renu
- Nilambare
- Sari Podiththak
- Pirith Pen
This is an endless list with hundreds of song collections in each.
The Bottom Line
Nanda Malini is certainly a legend for a reason, and her legacy will never fade from the music industry in Sri Lanka. In fact, she is a pioneering vocalist in several genres that are well-established in the music world of Sri Lanka. Besides, she still remains an icon in the Sri Lankan music industry. So, we wish her all the success in her future endeavors and long healthy life!
