S. Panibharatha

Sithratchcharige Panis Algama (; 24 February 1920 – 20 February 2006 ), known as S. Panibharatha, was a prominent Sri Lankan dancer and choreographer. Considered to be the pioneer of Sinhala classical dance, Panibhratha heavily contributed to Sri Lankan dance as an art form in a career that spanned over five decades.

Personal life Panibharatha was born on February 24, 1920, in Algama, Kegalle, Sri Lanka, as the second of six sons. He belonged to the Algama Dance generation of the Hathara Korale of the Kegalle District. His father, Pabanchi Algama, also known as Paba Gurunanse, was a prolific Kandyan dancer. His mother, Dingiri Ukku Amma, was a housewife. Panibharatha studied at Keenadeniya Maha Vidyalaya.

In 1954, Panibharatha married Piyumathchari Premalatha, a dance teacher who worked at Henagama Maha Vidyalaya. Upuli is married to fellow dancer and choreographer, Channa Wijewardena. Jayawanthi is married to politician and singer Dayasiri Jayasekara, the younger brother of singer Kithsiri Jayasekara.

Panibharatha died on September 20, 2005, at the age of 85, following a brief illness. so he was transferred to the Thibbotuwawe Gunananda Thero, who lived in Ratnapura, to practice medicine. In 1937, J. D. A Perera invited him to work as a drummer for Perera's wife, Chandralekha, in Colombo.

After seeing his excellence in drumming and dancing, J. D. A Perera allowed Panibharatha to attend his school, Lawrence College, as a student.

After working as a teacher for several years at Nalanda College, Panibharatha received a scholarship in 1944 and entered Shanti Niketan University in West Bengal. On February 24, 2015, the Minister of State for Cultural Affairs, Nandimithra Ekanayake, inaugurated the new Theater Faculty at the Faculty of Dance and Drama of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts and named it Panibharatha Theater. On the same day, several students displaying various artistic talents received scholarships under his name.

On February 24, 2020, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa held a ceremony celebrating Panibharatha's 100th birthday and the launch of the book Guru Deva Panibharatha. A commemorative stamp was also issued that day.