About Ananda Samarakoon

Egodahage George Wilfred Alwis Samarakoon known as Ananda Samarakoon was a Sri Lankan (Sinhalese) composer and musician. He composed the Sri Lankan national anthem "Namo Namo Matha" and is considered the father of artistic Sinhala music and founder of the modern Sri Lankan Sinhala Geeta Sahitya. He committed suicide in 1962, possibly driven by unauthorized changes to lyrics in a composition.