Veteran singer Nanda Malani passes away

Veteran singer and musician Dr Nanda Malini, who rendered an incomparable service to the Sri Lankan light music field and earned the title "The Voice of the Nation", passed away.

She was at the age of 82 at the time of her death.

Born on August 23, 1943, in Levanduwa, Aluthgama, she entered Sri Gunananda College, Kotahena, Colombo, for her education during her early youth.

Under the guidance of teacher T. N. Margaret Perera, she joined the "Lama Mandapaya" programme of Radio Ceylon, hosted by Karunaratne Abeysekera, and commenced her musical journey by singing the song "Budu Sadhu".

Subsequently, in the year 1961, she entered playback singing by performing the song "Galana Gangaki Jivithe" alongside Narada Dissasekara under the music direction of Pandit W. D. Amaradeva in "Ranmuthu Duwa", the first colour film in Sri Lanka, and from then on enriched the field of Sinhala song for decades.

Having studied classical music at the Bhatkhande Music Institute in India and obtained her Visharada degree, she gifted the country a number of immensely popular solo music concerts and song albums such as "Sathyaye Geethaya", "Pavana", "Hemanthayedi", and "Pembaranka", while also taking steps to create children's songs including "Sindu Hodiya" for young children.

For her exceptional vocal proficiency, she received numerous national and international awards, including twelve Sarasaviya Awards for best female singer and ten Presidential Awards.

Final arrangements regarding her passing will be announced by family members in the future.