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| Wednesday, 8 September 2004 |
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The well-known veteran singer of our times Mrs. G.S.B. Rani Perera felicitated with the Sarasaviya "Rana Thisara Sammanaya" in 1995 expired yesterday evening around 3.30 pm after a brief illness. She entertained Sri Lankans and other fans in Asia for over five decades with her golden voice. At the age of 16 she entered the music arena singing Samagiya Bale Pamu with Mohideen Beig. Like late Rukmani Devi a Tamil National by birth but loved by millions of people without any bias or difference, Rani Perera was both a singer and a stage artist. She showed her talent in playing the role of "Mandri Devi" in the "Wessanthara" stage play directed by J.D.A. Perera. She also played the role of "Pramila Queen" in the stage play "Daskon" directed by Upali Wanasinghe. Last Saturday, September 4, she was at Samanala Palama in Galle to entertain party loyalists at the 53rd anniversary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and others who loved to hear her singing. I watched her over the Rupavahini Channel singing " Janatha Nayaka - Ape Nayaka... Bandaranayaka...." and no one would have ever thought that it would be her farewell song to thousands of fans. Honoured with the Wishva Prasadini, Kalasoori and Srasavi felicitation for her contribution, she shot to fame with songs like Parama Ramani Ape Ale and Sadakal Dukata Wee Mule. She was also interviewed recently by the Swarnawahini "Hada Bendi Geetha" Program, a program initiated by the Maradana Tower Hall Foundation to introduce veteran singers of yesteryear under the able guidance of Ms.Chandratilleke, Director General of the Foundation. Born on August 20,1930 as the only daughter of a Malay couple at Guruwatta in Badulla, Gnei Senar Bangsajaya came to be known as G.S.B. Rani Perera with her marriage to Ranawaka Arachchige Anton Perera, a Catholic who was an employee of the Sri Lanka Steel Corporation in 1953. Being of two different religions and different cultures did not matter to their marriage which was registered without any religious binding. Her father being a police sergeant first did not like her entering music world and in fact when U.D.Perera and Mohommad Ghouse spoke about her to the Manager of Colombia Recording Company Ahamad, he wanted her to come for an audition. Her father refused first. But her mother after convincing her father along with Porolis Fernando took her for an audition and she was selected. She was just 16 and a school girl then. She was a student of Clifton Balika Vidyalaya. When Ratna Jankar, a master of music from India came on the invitation of Radio Ceylon then to test singers and grade them, she was graded as one of the supermost singers. She had sung with Mohideen Beg and Dharmadasa Walpola and many others. She contributed very much to the work of Sirisena Wimalaweera and also for the work of P.L.A. Somapala. She was also in great demand where Hindi and Urdu songs were concerned. She also took part in active politics and contested the Milagiriya seat in the Municipal Council elections and she was at the SLFP rallies to show her love and dedication to the party. When the United Front came to power in 1970, she was given a post in the SLBC and it was during her time as Producer of Programs that we come across very popular music programs such as Jana Prasangani, Geetha Tharangani and Prabuddha Gee. But with the UNP coming into power in 1977, she was banned from the SLBC thus ending her career as a Radio Artist. She did not give up her loyalty to the SLFP and remained faithful to the party until her death. She is survived by her husband and three sons Ranjith, Chandana and Udeni. Funeral arrangements will be notified later. - Wiruma |
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