REMEMBERING GUNADASA KAPUGE

The 74th birth anniversary of veteran singer and musician Gunadasa Kapuge falls on August 7. The award-winning singer blessed with a unique voice died following an unfortunate accident at the Katunayake Airport in the first week of April, 2003. Visharada Gunadasa Kapuge was always a down to earth character though he was showered upon with hundreds

Having left Haywood College of music in 1963 armed with a music diploma he later qualified as a Visharada of Music at the Bathkande institute in India.

of local and international awards in recognition of his golden voice that seems to be irreplaceable. His evergreen scores like Ninda Nethi Reye, Unmada Sithuwam, Mangmulaawi, Oba Pem Karana, Dawasak Pela Nethi Hene, Dethola Nokeede, Sinhala Sindu Kiyana and Duka Hadu Dena Reye are among the hundreds that will remain permanently inthe memories of local music fans. Born in a little village called Thanabaddegama in Elpitiya on August 7, 1945, Kapuge Master was the second in a family of eight children and his parents were ordinary estate workers. Like his music, his life also offered him a wide range of rhythm that he handled ably. Having studied up to grade five at Karandeniya M.V., he later joined Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda for further studies. Though he studied Bio-science for HSC, destiny definitely had other plans in store for him. Having failed in his first attempt in the Science stream, he immediately decided to switch tracks to his favourite subject - music. Having left Haywood College of music in 1963 armed with a music diploma he later qualified as a Visharada of Music at the prestigious Bathkande institute in India. In 1969 he got his first break at the SLBC as an operational assistant in the recording section and was subsequently promoted on merit. Later in 1973 he sang his debut number ‘Desa Nilupul Thema’ for an SLBC cultural programme and was later recognised as an A grade singer.