18 Facts About Kulasiri Budawatta

Suneth Kulasiri Budawatta, was a prominent Sri Lankan dancer and choreographer.

Kulasiri Budawatta was the founder of Budawatta School Of Performing Arts.

Kulasiri Budawatta was born on 6 May 1950 in Budawatta Gavilipitiya village in Aranayake, Mawanella, Sri Lanka as the seventh heir of Buddhawatta Dancing family of Satharakoralaya.

Kulasiri Budawatta's mother was P N Alpi Nona and father was Punchi Guru Budawatta.

Kulasiri Budawatta's father was one of the first three dance teachers in Sri Lanka where he taught in 14 schools.

Kulasiri Budawatta later started the Budawatta Rajagiri Dancing Institute in 1957.

Kulasiri Budawatta has two brothers: Sunil Shantha, Jayantha Thilakasiri and one sister, Nandani.

Kulasiri Budawatta was married to Nemali Amarasinghe, a fellow dancer.

The couple had one son, Rangana Ransilu Budawatta who is an aeronautical engineer as well as a skilled drummer.

Kulasiri Budawatta died on 23 June 2021 at the age of 71.

Kulasiri Budawatta began dance lessons in early childhood in 1957, where he gained expertise in traditional dancing both up country and low country styles under his father.

Kulasiri Budawatta learned Kandyan dance from Siridaru Gurunnanse, his father's brother.

Kulasiri Budawatta went to 40 countries like Russia and Pakistan with the then Prime Minister, Sirimavo Bandaranaike with drama troupe.

Kulasiri Budawatta first worked as a dance teacher at Gavilpitiya Central College and later taught in various schools until his retirement from Maradana Sangharaja College.

Kulasiri Budawatta became an expert on "Kohomba Yak Kankarayia", the main essence of the Kandyan tradition.

Kulasiri Budawatta started to preserve the traditional dance art at a time when the Kandyan dance tradition had been distorted for a long time and its value systems were gradually being destroyed.

Kulasiri Budawatta was the first Director of the Youth Dancing Troupe of the National Youth Services Council in Maharagama in 1980.

Kulasiri Budawatta made a dance composition for the song "Araliya Landata" sung by Nanda Malini.