Ramya Wanigasekara
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Ramya Wanigasekara (; 17 July 1950 – 8 March 2024) was an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television. A pioneer of Sri Lankan radio, she was a
Radio Ceylon Radio Ceylon ( ''Lanka Guwan Viduli Sevaya'', , ''ilankai vanoli'') is a radio station based in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) and the first radio station in Asia. Broadcasting was started on an experimental basis by the colonial Telegraph Departme ...
news reader for more than two decades. She was also a playback singer. Wanigasekara died on 8 March 2024, at the age of 73, while undergoing treatment at the Colombo National Hospital.


Early life

Wanigasekara was born on 17 July 1950 in Kotiyakumbura,
Kegalle Kegalle (; ) is a large town in Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. It is located on the Colombo–Kandy road, approximately from Colombo, from Kandy, from Kurunegala and from Avissavella. It is the main town in the Kegalle District, which i ...
as the fifth child in a family of seven siblings. Her father, from Hettimulla, Kegalle was an estate superintendent and her mother was from
Eheliyagoda Eheliyagoda is a town in Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. It is located approximately east of Colombo. The town is the centre of traditional gemstone mining and rubber plantations. Ekanite, a rare radioactive gemstone, ...
. Ramya had two elder sisters, two elder brothers and two younger brothers. She started primary education at Ampe Maha Vidyalaya, Kotiyakumbura. After attending Pindeniya Vidyachakrawarthi National College, she finally completed her education at Ruwanwella Royal College.


Career

Wanigasekara entered drama as a stage playback singer with the 1974 stage play ''Hewayo'' produced by Chandi Gunathilake. After that she became the background singer in many stage plays produced by Jayatissa Alahakoon. In 1976, she first acted in Ranjith Dharmakeerthi's play ''Hasthiraja Mahaththaya'' with a minor role. After that she got the opportunity to sing background songs for Dharmakeerthi's play ''Angara Ganga Gala Basi'' with music composition by
Premasiri Khemadasa Deshamanya Kala Keerthi Dr. Premasiri Khemadasa ( Sinhala: ආචාර්ය ප්‍රේමසිරි කේමදාස ) (25 January 1937 – 24 October 2008) also known as "Khemadasa Master" was a Sri Lankan music composer. Explorin ...
. She also acted in that play in some accidental moments. In 1978, her breakthrough in stage drama came through the play ''Mana Ranjana Weda Warjana'' directed by Chula Kariyawasam with the role "Gunawathi". At that time veteran actress Chandra Kaluarachchi was pregnant, and so her role "Matilda" in ''Kelani Palama'' was given to Wanigasekara by producer and future husband R. R. Samarakoon. Then, she acted in Samarakoon's plays ''Ahasin Watunu Minissu'' (1971), ''Idama'' (1975), ''Jailer Unnahe'' (1986), ''Doowili'' (1990) and ''Raja Kathawa'' (1991). Later she acted in a number of plays including ''Sanda Kinduri'', ''Muhudu Puththu'', ''Ma Hene Reeri Yaka'',''Liyathambara'', ''Siri Sangabo'' and ''Hiru Nathi Lowa''. She played the role "Matilda" in ''Kelani Palama'' for 41 consecutive years. In 1980, she joined
Radio Ceylon Radio Ceylon ( ''Lanka Guwan Viduli Sevaya'', , ''ilankai vanoli'') is a radio station based in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) and the first radio station in Asia. Broadcasting was started on an experimental basis by the colonial Telegraph Departme ...
to host the programme ''Thakshilawa''. The programme contained poetry, singing, drama, and news. Beginning in 1981, she was a regular news anchor until she retired in 2006. Later, in 2008 she worked on a contract basis at the
Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) (, ''Shrī Lankā Guvan Viduli Sansthāva'', , ''Ilangkai Oliparappuk Kūṭṭuttāpaṉam'') came into existence on 5 January 1967 when Radio Ceylon became a public corporation. Dudley Senanayak ...
and worked as a relief newscaster. She was also Radio A-Grade Nurti singer. In 1983, Wanigasekara was also a member of the first drama group of Dharmasena Pathiraja's documentary ''Gangulen Egodata'' on epilepsy. The play won a gold medal at a documentary competition in Germany. Later, she acted in many critically acclaimed roles in television serials such as ''Kande Gedara'', ''Palingu Menike'', ''Menik Nadiya Gala Basi'', ''Denuwara Menike'', ''Paba'', ''Aluth Gedara'' and comedy sitcom ''Yes Boss''. Her role in Dhamma Jagoda's ''Palingu Menike'' became the milestone in her teledrama career. On 26 October 2019, the 40th Anniversary of the stage play ''Kelani Palama'' was celebrated at the Panibharatha Hall of the University of the Aesthetics at 3.30 pm with the title ''40 Wasaraka Rangabhinandanaya''. The play was first staged on 25 October 1978 at the Lumbini Theatre. In 2019, The Janabhimani or Hela Maha Rawana Rajabhimani Awards Ceremony was held at the Jasmine Auditorium at the BMICH where Wanigasekara won the Best Service Award.


Personal life

Wanigasekara was married to dramatist R. R. Samarakoon. The affair started during the stage play ''Kelani Palama''. The couple had one daughter, Buddhika Mudithani. Buddhika acted in ''Kelani Palama'' in little age as "Surangani". She excelled at stage costume designing.


Filmography


Selected television serials

* ''Ahankara Nagarae'' * ''Ahas Gawwa'' * ''Aluth Gedara'' * ''Amarabandu Rupasinghe'' * ''Ammavarune'' * ''Chandi Kumarihami'' * ''Denuwara Menike'' * ''Diyaniyo'' * ''Indi Vata Addara'' * ''Kande Gedara'' * ''
Koombiyo Koombiyo (English: ''Ants'', සිංහල: 'කූඹියෝ') is a 2017 Sri Lankan crime political thriller series created by Lakmal Darmarathna and Damitha Chandrasiri. The show premiered on ITN on 26 August 2017 with 30 minutes episodes ...
'' * ''Maunayagaya'' * ''Menik Nadiya Gala Basi'' * ''Nenala'' * ''Palingu Menike'' * ''Paba'' * ''Pehesara'' * ''Rathu Ahasa'' * '' Salsapuna'' * ''Sikuru Wasanthe'' * ''Thurya'' * ''Yes Boss''


Filmography


Awards

Wanigasekara has won several awards at local festivals.


State

, - , , 1991 , , , ''Kande Gedara'' , , Popular woman on stage and teledrama , , , - , , 1993 , , , , , Most Popular Actress , ,


OCIC

, - , , 1994 , , , ''Kande Gedara'' , , Most Popular Actress , ,


State Drama Festival

, - , , 1995 , , , ''Lihini'' , , Best Supporting Actress , ,


Other

, - , , 1990 , , , Lankadeepa Vijaya Awards , , Most Popular Actress , , , - , , 1991 , , , Lankadeepa Vijaya Awards , , Most Popular Actress , , , - , , 2009 , , , , , Liya Varuna Award , , , - , , 2010 , , , ''Paba'' , , ITN Award , , , - , , 2010 , , , Contribution to drama , , Kalabhushana Award , ,


Presidential

, - , , 1994/95 , , , ''News Reading'' , , Best News Anchor , ,


Sumathi

, - , , 2003 , , , , , , ,


Raigam Tele'es ''Raigam Tele'es'' () is an award bestowed to distinguished individuals involved with the Sri Lanka's television screen, each year by the Kingdom of Raigam, Sri Lanka in recognition of the various contributions made by them to the Sri Lankan teled ...

, - , , 2013 , , , Contribution to television , , National Award , ,


References


External links


I am a Kandyan woman

ප්‍රේමය සාර්ථක වෙන්නට නම් දෙදෙනාටම ඉවසීම තියෙන්න ඕනේ - රම්‍යා වනිගසේකර

An Earful !

Kelani Palama in town
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wanigasekara, Ramya 1950 births 2024 deaths Sri Lankan film actresses Sinhalese artists 20th-century Sri Lankan actresses 21st-century Sri Lankan actresses People from Kegalle District