Nanda Malini facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dr. Nanda Malini නන්දා මාලනී
Born	Mirihana Arachchige Nanda Malini Perera (1943-08-23) 23 August 1943 (age 81) Kotahena, Sri Lanka
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Education	Sri Gunananda Vidyalaya
Alma mater	Heywood Institute of Art Bhatkhande Music Institute (1963)
Occupation	Singer, Music Director
Spouse(s)	Suneth Gokula
Children	2
Parents	Vincent Perera (father) Liyanage Emily Perera (mother)
Awards	Doctor of Philosophy (Fine Arts) Honoris Causa (University of the Visual & Performing Art-2017)
Musical career
Genres	Pop soul rhythm and blues Indian classical music
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1956–present
Labels	Singlanka/Tharanga/Nilwala MEntertainment Ransilu

Nanda Malini is a famous singer from Sri Lanka. She was born on August 23, 1943, and her full name is Mirihana Arachchige Nanda Malini Perera. She is one of the most well-known and respected singers in Sri Lanka.

Nanda Malini's songs often talk about real-life situations and feelings. Her music explores ideas about relationships, daily life, and human emotions. She has won many awards for her beautiful singing.

Early Life and Family

Nanda Malini was born on August 23, 1943. She grew up in a small village called Lewwanduwa in Aluthgama, Sri Lanka. She was the fourth child in a family of nine children.

Her father, Vincent Perera, was a skilled tailor. Her mother, Liyanage Emily Perera, was a housewife. Nanda Malini has four sisters and four brothers. When she was a teenager, her family moved to Kotahena in Colombo. There, she went to Sri Gunananda Vidyalaya and learned from her teacher, T. N. Margaret Perera.

Nanda Malini is married to Suneth Gokula. They have two daughters named Varuni Saroja and Ama Sarada.

Music Career Highlights

Starting Her Journey in Music

Nanda Malini began her music career in 1956. She won a gold medal in a poetry singing competition. After this win, a famous musician named W. D. Amaradeva invited her to sing on a radio show. She sang a song called Budu Sadu on a popular program called Lama Mandapaya (Children's Stage) on Radio Ceylon.

Singing for Films

In 1963, Nanda Malini sang for the first Sinhala color film, Ranmuthu Duwa. She sang the song Galana Gagaki Jeewithe with Narada Disasekara. This song was very important because it was the first film song written by Chandraratne Manawasinghe. The film's music won many awards that year, and Nanda Malini won her first major award for Best Female Singer.

Since then, she has sung in many films. She has won 11 Sarasavi awards and 8 Presidential awards. She was also voted the most popular female singer from 1995 to 1998.

Continuing Her Music Education

Even after becoming famous, Nanda Malini kept learning. She studied at the Heywood Institute of Art for a year. Then, in 1963, she went to the Bhatkhande Music Institute in Lucknow, India. She later returned to the University of Visual and Performing Arts in 1984. There, she earned a special degree called a Visharada degree with top honors.

Popular Songs and Concerts

When she came back to Sri Lanka, Nanda Malini appeared on W.D. Amaradeva's show "Madhuvanthi." She sang popular songs like Sannaliyane and Ran Dahadiya Bindu Bindu. Her songs often tell stories about real life, love, and feelings. Songs like Pipunu Male Ruwa and Sudu Hamine show the feelings of women. Some of her songs, like Manda Nawa Karanawa, are humorous and sensitive.

In 1973, Nanda Malini started her first solo concert series. She performed 530 shows, which is a lot! This series ended in 1979. In 1981, she started another concert series called "Sathyaye Geethaya" and performed 500 shows. Her next solo concert series, "Pavana," began in 1987. She performed 205 shows for 18 months. In 2010, after 22 years, she held a new solo concert called "Shwetha Rathriya."

Music Academy and Albums

In 1984, Nanda Malini opened her own music academy called Nanda Malini Ashram. This is a place where people can learn music from her.

She has released many music albums, including Malata Renu, Saadu Naada, and Sari Podiththak. In 2007, she released a CD called Etha Kandu Yaye, which had 16 of her award-winning songs. She also released a Tamil language CD called "Kunkuma Pottu" in 1993.

In 2017, the University of Visual and Performing Arts gave her a special honorary degree. It was called ‘Darshana Shuri,’ which means Doctor of Philosophy of Fine Arts. This was the first time a female artist in Sri Lanka received such an honor from a university.

Legacy and Recognition

In 2004, a new type of orchid flower was named "Nanda Malini Ascosanda" in her honor. This shows how much she is respected and admired.

Albums

01. Saadu Naada (සාදු නාද)

• Budu Saadu (බුදු සාදු)
• Buddhanubhawena (බුද්ධානුභාවේන)
• Budu Karunaa (බුදු කරුණා)
• Aku Daa (අකු දා)
• Danno Budunge (දන්නෝ බුදුන්ගේ)
• Lokananda Thilona (ලෝකානන්ද තිලෝනා)
• Seela Samadhi (ශීල සමාධි)
• Muni Nandana Siripaada (මුණි නන්දන සිරිපාද)

02. Sari Podiththak (සාරි පොඩිත්තක්)

• Ruk Aththana Mala Mudune (රුක් අත්තන මල මුදුනේ)
• Surangeeta Duka Hithuna (සුරංගීට දුක හිතුනා)
• Wasanawa Aege Nrthai (වාසනාව ඇගේ නෙතයි)
• Miriwadi Sangalak (මිරිවැඩි සඟලක්)
• Sari Podiththak (සාරි පොඩිත්තක්)
• Sakura Mal Pipila (සකුරා මල් පිපිලා)
• Sudu Haamine (සුදු හාමිනේ)
• Ran Giri Giri Gigiri (රන් ගිරි ගිරි ගිගිරි)
• Chandra Mandulu Yata (චන්ද්‍ර මඬුලු යට)
• Mal Kiyanne Kaata Kaata (මල් කියන්නෙ කාට කාට)
• Mihimandale Anduru Kuse (මිහි මඬලේ අඳුරු කුසේ)
• Deega Nogiya Punchi Nanda (දීග නොගිය පුංචි නැන්දා)
• Mage Sina Oba Araganna (මගේ සිනා ඔබ අරගන්න)
• Mal Mal Heenaya (මල් මල් හීනය)
• Wessa Walaahaka (වැස්ස වළාහක)
• Buddhaanubhaawena (බුද්ධානුභාවේන)

02. Sansara Sagare

• Peedena Goyame
• Sanda Mala
• Sansara Sagare
• Ma Pidu
• Kothanada Oba
• Wata Kotu
• Nil Latha Pura
• Punchi Punchi
• Lowe Sonduru
• Wasanawan
• Dura Atha
• Yowun Wasanthe

Discography

Awards and Achievements

Nanda Malini has received many awards in Sri Lanka. These include national awards, popular awards, and awards for her singing in films and on television.

Sarasaviya Awards

Presidential Film Awards

Nelson Most Popular Award

Other Awards

• Dhashan Soori - University of Visual Arts of Sri Lanka