Biography

Narendra Gunarathna is a Sri Lankan Musician, Composer and Percussionist. Narendra was born on 3 June 1985 in Panadura, Sri Lanka as the youngest child in the family. His father Priya Ranjan Gunarathna was a music teacher and mother Weerawaradhana Manel Silva was a dancing teacher. Artist and award winning 2D animator Sanjaya Gunarathna is Narendra's elder brother. His sister is Dhananji Gunarathna, who is a school teacher. Narendra studied in Mahanama College in Colombo. He started hiscarrier as a Tabla artist by joining as a young student at the age of 12, near Dharshanapathi Wijeratna Ranathunga who was a great Tabla artist in Sri Lanka. Later, Narendra was admitted to Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University, India where he got his degrees in BPA & MPA. He won several Gold medals including Pt. Krishan Maharaj & Pt. Sadashiva Rao award for the Tabla department's batch topper of Bhathkande University in 2013 and Tabla competition by Sangeeth Natak Academy, Uttar Pradesh in 2012. He further gained practical skills in playing percussion, brass-the classical instruments & also other western instruments. Under the guidance of Ustad Ilmas Hussain Khan from Lucknow Gharana & Pt. Ravinath Mishra from Beranas Gharana, he learned more techniques in handling the musical instruments to a very proud level. He performed musical events in several cities in India and Sri Lanka. His genres are Hip-Hop/Rap and Indian Classical.