MULTI-TALENTED KUSUM PEIRIS

Kelaniya Gurukula Vidyalaya has produced noteworthy personalities to the Lankan arts sphere and among them are big names in the scene. Veteran broadcaster and lyricist Kusum Peiris is also a product of the same school. She was a student when she joined the Radio Ceylon Rangamandala programme. Later in the mid sixties she was ranked as an A Grade drama-artiste.

She joined the SLBC as a relief announcer in 1972 and after being absorbed to the permanent cadre, in 1986 she was an A Grade announcer. Later she was promoted to the Super Grade.

Despite becoming a household name with her voice, she always loved writing, especially small poems from her childhood. Even at SLBC she wrote whenever she was free.

“One day I showed Niranjala Sarojini a poem titled ‘Nisansale Ma Thaniyen’ that I wrote. She was so impressed and later sang it with Abeywardana Balasuriya. That is the biggest turning point in my career as a lyricist,” she said.

Later she wrote popular songs like Sihinayaki Oba Nihanda Mediyam Re, Hitha Gaawa Danga Kalaa, Gang Iwure, Bindunu Pemaka, Sithuwili Sirawee, Digu Neth Hasarelle, Asusur Sanin Eka Mohothakadi and others.

Thilaka Ranasinghe, Indra Ramanayake, Samadara Kottage, Somasiri Chandrasena, Douglas Ranasinghe, Ariyasiri Vithanage and several others were her Radio Ceylon contemporaries.

Besides announcing and penning songs, Kusum Peiris played key roles in several popular radio plays like Muwan Pelessa, Monarathenna, Sugandhika and was also a dubbing artiste. She was Sanda in Monarathenna, Sapumali in Muwan Pelessa, Achala in Pahan Tharuwa, Elsie in Makarage Thanayama and Sugandhika in Sugandhika.

“I started with D. B. Nihalsinghe’s Dimuthu Muthu and I have so far acted in more than 100 teledramas”

She married her SLBC colleague Neville Peiris, and they have three children Wageesha, Thamali and Rajith.

Today Kusum Peiris is hit by ill health and we wish her quick recovery.