Education
Visva-Bharati University.
Visva-Bharati University.
Samarakoon was to a Christian family in Padukka, Sri Lanka on January 13, 1911. He had his primary and secondary education at Christian College, Kotte, presently known as Sri Jayawardenapura M.V.Kotte. His Sinhala Guru was Pandit Doctorate.C.P. Gamalathge.
Samarakone left for the Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan in India to study art and music
Painter In 1945 Samarakoon"s only son died at the age of five and the grieving Samarakoon left Sri Lanka for India where he pursued a painting career and held eleven art exhibitions there. Though his painting were critically acclaimed, he returned to music in 1951 back in Sri Lanka.
National anthem One of Samarakoon"s early compositions, Namo Namo Mata was nominated as the national anthem and was officially adopted as the national anthem of Ceylon on November 22, 1951, from a committee headed by Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne.Critics attacked Namo Namo Mata, particularly the "Gana" significance of the introductory words (Namo Namo Matha) which designate disease and ill luck. However, without his consent, the introductory words were changed to "Sri Lanka Mathaa" so that the "Gana" significance now would designate victory and prosperity.
Death On April 5, 1962, at the age of fifty one, Samarakoon committed suicide by taking an overdose of sleeping tablets and the cause is said to be the change of words of his composition without his consent.
Samarakoon"s legacy lives on in his music and in the musical style he created.
In 1940, he composed Namo Namo Mata to instil patriotism and love for one"s country, in his students at Mahinda College.
Samarakone was not a believer in "Gana" and the criticism caused him to write numerous articles counterattacking his critics to defend his composition.