Rukmani Devi

Rukmani Devi

Genres: sri lanka, bollywood, 40s, 30s, tamil

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About Rukmani Devi

Rukmani Devi (January 15, 1923 – September 25, 1978) was a Sri Lankan singer and actress, who was often acclaimed as "The Nightingale of Sri Lanka". She made it to the silver screen via the stage and had acted in close to 100 films, at the time of her death. Having an equal passion for singing as well as a melodious voice, she was Sri Lanka's foremost female singer in the gramophone era. After her death, she was awarded the Sarasaviya 'Rana Thisara'- Life Time Achievement Award at the 1979 Sarasaviya Awards Festival. Rukmani Devi, was born as Daisy Rasammah Daniels to a Tamil Colombo Chetty Christian family at Ramboda in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. Second, in a family of five, her father, John Daniel worked on a plantation and her mother, Helen Rose was a teacher. As a little girl, Daniels showed an inborn talent to sing and dance. With her first audio recording of the famous song "Siri Buddhagaya Vihare" with Master H. W. Rupasinghe in 1938, she captured the hearts of the masses and she shaped her career from that of an actress to that of an actress turned singer. Her unique voice attracted many music directors, as her singing career moved from the stage to the silver screen. It was also, around this time that her name underwent a change from Daisy Daniels to the well known 'Rukmani Devi'. Some of the immortal songs she sang for films are Sandyave Sriya for 'Kadawunu Poronduwa', Pinsara Mage Soyura for 'Kapati Arakshakaya', Gala Kandeni, and Moranawa Preme Hade for 'Weradun Kurumanama', Nindede Rathri Yahane for 'Peralena Iranama', Mavila Pena vi Rupe for 'Kela Handa', Pem Sihina Loke Maya for 'Mathabhedaya', Melavi Yanna Hada Mage for 'Daiva Yogaya', Suva dena Sita Sanasum for 'Ladalu' and Doi Doi Puta for 'Ahasin Polavata'. In the mid sixties she joined the sinhala calypso musical group Los Cabelleros led by late Neville Fernando. They recorderd ever popular sinhala songs such as 'Malbara Himidiriye','Menike Obe sinawe' & 'Sandak nage'. Rukmani Devi died in a motor accident near St. Mary's Church, Thudella on September 25, 1978. She was returning after a musical show in Uyanwatte, Matara.

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