Lionel Ranwala (), (27 November 1939 – 13 November 2002) was a musician and a singer in

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

and a legend in Sri Lankan folk music. His birth city was

Kalubowila Kalubowila is a suburb in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is inside the administration boundary of the Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia (; ), population 245,974 (2012), is a large municipality in Sri Lanka, covering . It lies south of the ...

and he studied in Kalubowila Budhdhagosha College, Kumara College Wellawatta and Lumbini College,

Colombo Colombo, ( ; , ; , ), is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. The Colombo metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 within the municipal limits. It is the ...

Career

Ranwala's main interest was Sinhala

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...

of Sri Lankan. He successfully brought Sinhala folk tunes and melodies to popular Sri Lankan music, preserving their originality. He studied music at the

Panjab University Panjab University (PU) is an Indian collegiate public state university located in Chandigarh. Funded through both State and Union governments, it is considered a state university. It traces its origins to the University of the Punjab in Lahor ...

, Chandigarh,

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

and has a sour knowledge of the field. Ranwala, who created a revolution in the local folk music scene along with his mentor W.B. Makuloluwa, started his teaching career at Arawwala MMV in 1959. He taught music at several leading schools including

Ananda College Ananda College () is a Prestigious Buddhist school in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is often known as "The Pinnacle of buddhist education " It is the largest national Buddhist school for boys in Sri Lanka, with a student population exceeding 8000 ac ...

, and

Royal College, Colombo Royal College, Colombo also known as; Royal Colombo, Colombo Royal College or Colombo Royal) is a Single-sex education, boys' school located in Cinnamon Gardens, Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Started by Joseph Marsh (priest), Joseph Mar ...

during a 38-year career. He popularised local music in schools and formed the first 'Hevisi' band in a school – at Pannipitiya Dharmapala Vidyalaya in 1964. Ranwala was also a versatile actor and dramatist. One of his most memorable roles was in the first Sinhala opera 'Depano' directed by Makuloluwa. He also wrote and directed several children's dramas. He acted in several teledramas. His last teledrama was "Rangamadala Samugani" which was telecasted in Swarnawahini. He travelled all over the island collecting folk songs for posterity. A staunch defender of indigenous music, he released several cassettes containing experimental folk music, notably 'Ahase Innavalu' in 1999. He formed the 'Thaalama Foundation' for preserving folk music. "Gama Ahulaggang", "May Awurudu kale" and "Wannam Sawudam" are some of his most famous songs. He has two sons, Chirantha and Sahan. The elder, Chirantha is a presenter and producer at

Swarnavahini Swarnavahini (; literally Golden Channel) is a Sinhala language general entertainment and news television channel in Sri Lanka owned by EAP Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of EAP Holdings. Launched in 1994 as ETV (Extra Terrestrial Vision), ...

. Sahan is also working at the Swarnawahini, but after his father's sudden death, has now taken the initiative to preserve and make people aware of Sinhala Folk Music, in the same way his father did. His son, Sahan Ranwala doing very well in preserving the legacy of his father.

Death

Ranwala died, following a sudden accident at the age of 63, in 2002 at

Thalawathugoda Thalawathugoda (, ) is a vicinity of Maharagama governed by the Urban Council of Maharagama. It is located approximately from the centre of Colombo, adjacent to Battaramulla and Pelawatte on the Borella-Kottawa Road, bordering Sri Jayawardena ...

. His wife too faced the accident and was seriously injured.Commemorating Lionel Ranwala...
/ref>

Produced Stage Dramas

*Eka gediyay pala gaththe *Beeri Ali *Nogiya gamana

Songs

* Ahase Innawalu * Ahuwama Kan Pirena * Akulagena Sonda * Kelipodda Baledi * Me Awurudu Kale * Mithuru Sarouhura * Pankiriththi * Pasunu Karal * Sanda Saawee Ma * Sawanath Kinihara * Soya * Wannam Sawudam * Yuddetath Awith

References

2002 deaths 20th-century Sri Lankan male singers Sinhalese people Sri Lankan educators 1939 births Sri Lankan teachers Lumbini College alumni Faculty of Royal College, Colombo Sinhalese singers Faculty of Ananda College {{Asia-composer-stub