posted March 29, 2001 06:55 PM            
Sri Lankan Songbird passes away

Dharisha Bastians in Colombo, 11:25 SLT Thursday. Veteran songstress
Malani Bulathsinhala passed away in Los Angeles yesterday, following
a sudden illness. Mrs Bulathsinhala (1950-2001) began her lustrous
career at the tender age of 13, when she hosted a childrens' show on
SLBC and entered the Haywood Institute of Arts in 1970 to study
music professionally. She was a teacher of singing by profession and
has held the post of Deputy Director of education for the Western
Province since 1994. Mrs Bulathsinhala received three Sarasavi Film
awards for her songs featured on the films "Madu Samaya", "Watsala
Akka" and "Umayangana" She is survived by her husband H.M
Jayawardane and a son.