Pradeepa Dharmadasa

Pothupitiya Kankanamge Pradeepa Nirmali Hemamali Dharmadasa (born 26 January 1964 as ප්‍රදීපා ධර්මදාස [Sinhala]), popularly known as Pradeepa Dharmadasa, is a Sri Lankan musician, playback singer and former stage drama actress in Sri Lankan theatre and television.

Personal life She was born on 26 January 1964 in Rawatawatta, Moratuwa as the second in a family of four children. Her father Pothupitiya Kankanamge Dharmadasa worked at the Agriculture and Govi Jana Seva Department. Her mother Meda Gamage Hema Dharmadasa was a housewife. She has one elder sister and two younger brothers. His closest brother died by drowning in the sea. She studied at Princess of Wales' College, Moratuwa where she met her mentor Somalatha Subasinghe. She studied dancing at Vajira-Chitrasena Academy, and later learned music at `Kala Bhoomi’, Nugegoda. After finishing A/Ls, she followed a drama course at Subasinghe’s 'Sri Lanka Youth Theatre Foundation'.

She completed a master's degree in sociology from the University of Kelaniya. She also holds an Excellence in Music Scholarship from Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University, India. After returning, she completed a Diploma in Writing and Mass Communication from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura as well as a Diploma in English from the Kirkwood Institute of Education, USA.

Pradeepa is married to Cabinet Minister Honorable Dullas Daham Kumara Alahapperuma who has been a parliamentarian. The couple has two sons – Mahima Induwara (born in 1995) and Kaushika Nalanda (born in 1996).

In 1980s, Pradeepa started career as a professional actress with the stage play Sathyanganavi produced by Vijitha Gunaratne. In the play, she not only showcased her acting skills but also the singing skills she possessed by playing the role of "Shonte" in Bertolt Brecht's The Good Woman in Setsuan. Therefore, its music director Premasiri Khemadasa invited Pradeepa to join his choir. Later, she made her first song Duwillen Seduna Liye for the television serial Weda Hamine in 1987. She also played in the plays Muhunu Dekak, Sakvithi Nikmana and as "Sinha Seevali" in critically acclaimed Ediriweera Sarachchandra's Sinhabahu and as "Chamari" in R. R. Samarakoon's Duwili.

Pradeepa started playback singing for films with Christy Shelton's 1994 film Aragalaya. Since then, she rendered her voice for many films including Mario Jayatunga's Nidi Yahana Kalabei, Handana Kinkini, Miriwadi Sagalak, Saman Neelawathura's Savithrige Rathriya, Christy Shelton's Thahanam Gaha and Bennett Rathnayake's Ira Handa Yata. In 1997, she won both the Sarasaviya and Presidential Awards for Best Film Backing Singer for the serial Savithriyage Rathriya. On 22 November 2017 her devoted fan Kasuni Nadeeka launched the book Gee Pradeepartha on Pradeepa's singing life and critical reviews of her songs. Gee Pradipartha (Pradeepa Dharmadasa Gee Ratnawali Rasavinisa) Book contains commentaries on 20 meaningful songs.

In 2018, she playback songs for the film Amawaka directed by Vijitha Gunaratne.

Albums Duwillen Seduna Liye 1992 Kandulu Thotupola 1997 Sathyangana 2004 Hendewata Kalin Enna 2012

Labels Musings Torana M Entertainment Indhuwara Creations