Sisira Senarathne

Sisira Senaratne (also spelled Sisira Senarathne), සිසිර සේනාරත්න, was a Sri Lankan singer, composer, and lyricist whose work helped shape Sinhala popular and film music from the 1950s onward. Born on 29 March 1935 in Chilaw and active for more than six decades until his death in 2015, he was one of the voices that carried Sinhala song through the early decades of the recording and cinema era.

Early life and training

Senaratne was born in Chilaw and educated at St. Mary’s College there, later at Central College Maradana and Nalanda College in Colombo. He took to music early, and after his radio singing drew attention he enrolled at the government school of music. His film playback career began with the picture Podi Putha, and from there he became a familiar voice across Sinhala cinema.

Career and music

Across the 1950s and 1960s, Sisira Senarathne worked as a performer, a music director, and a writer of lyrics, a combination that let him shape songs end to end. He sang playback for several films of the period and built a catalogue of standards that remained in circulation long after. His range covered tender love songs, devotional pieces, and songs about home and family.

Many of the songs hosted on Lyrics-lk show him in both roles at once, singing pieces he also composed, such as Nila Jalase Rangana and the much-loved Nuhuru Nupurudu Rahasa (Adarei Mama Adarei). He also recorded frequently alongside his wife, the singer Indrani Senaratne (Indrani Wijebandara), whom he married in 1962; together they are credited with helping usher in a new phase of Sinhala song. Their duets include Gaya Geethayan Game Wel Eliye.

As a composer he supplied songs to other leading voices of the era as well, among them HR Jothipala and CT Fernando.

Signature songs

His best-remembered recordings include Olu Nelum Neriya Rangala, Mage Puthuta Mal (මාගෙ පුතුට මල්), and the wel-eliye village songs gathered under Gaya Geethayan. The Sisira Senarathne songbook on Lyrics-lk gives the Sinhala lyrics with English transliteration and translation for each.

• Nuhuru Nupurudu Rahasa (Adarei Mama Adarei)
• Olu Nelum Neriya Rangala
• Mage Puthuta Mal
• Gaya Geethayan
• Nila Jalase Rangana
• Piwithuru Sithin

Recognition and legacy

Senaratne’s work was honoured over his long career, including a Best Music Director award at the 1966 Sarasaviya Festival and a Best Male Singer award at the first Radio Award Festival in 1970. He received the Swarna Jayanthi honour at the Presidential Film Festival in 1997. He died on 4 February 2015 at the age of 79. For Sri Lankan listeners and the Sinhala diaspora, songs like Adarei Mama Adarei and Mage Puthuta Mal keep his voice in steady circulation.