Iconic Sri Lankan singer Nanda Malini dies at 82

COLOMBO — Iconic Sri Lankan singer Nanda Malini, whose voice traveled with generations of Sinhalese through the island’s political and social upheavals of the 1970s and 1980s, passed away in Nawala, near Colombo, on Thursday. She was 82.Malini died at her home in Nawala, just a few days shy of her 83rd birthday.The Sri Lankan government announced three days of mourning beginning Friday to pay respects to one of the country’s most celebrated artists. Born on 23 August, 1943, in a village in British Ceylon, Malini was the fourth in a family of nine children.She went to school in the capital Colombo, where she won a poetry singing competition in 1956, which was seen as the start of her music career.As a young and aspiring artist, Malini traveled to India to study music at the Bhatkhande College of Hindustani Music in Lucknow.Malini’s long career, remarkable body of work, and the choices that shaped them reveal not only how Sri Lanka’s political landscape evolved over time, but also the many strands of nationalist and progressive politics that coexisted during those tumultous years.Her voice was seen as a soundtrack to some of the country’s political and social upheavals.Songs from her 1987 album Pawana, which touched on social issues and urged people to stand up to injustice, were banned from national airwaves in the 1980s, during a particularly turbulent period of Sri Lankan history.Her political advocacy continued well after those years, and today Malini is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the Sinhala music industry.In the 70s and 80s Malini became known for her songs about social justice, from satirical lyrics about corruption to rallying calls for Sri Lankans to look past racial and religious divides and stand up against tyranny.Sri Lanka at the time was undergoing a period of upheaval, as Leftist activists spearheaded an anti-establishment movement, airing frustrations against youth unemployment, social inequality and the elite class.It was also a time of ethnic tensions, which culminated in the eruption of civil war in the 1983.Authorities at the time banned Malini’s songs from being played by national broadcasters — though that did not stop fans from listening to the tracks and attending her concerts.In 2022, as the country saw large-scale anti-government protests amid a spiralling economic crisis, Malini was a vocal supporter of the movement and performed to a gathering of demonstrators.The months of protests led to the toppling of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.Tributes poured in for the veteran singer.Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said he was “deeply saddened” by Malini’s death and called her a “true musical legend of our time”“Her timeless music inspired generations of Sri Lankans, young and old alike. Her remarkable legacy will live on in the hearts of millions,” he said in a social media post.