Athula Adikari

Adikari Mudiyanselage Pubudu Athula Adikari was born on March 8 in 1966 at Mahawewa in the Chilaw District to A.M. Kumaradasa Adikari and Lalitha Wickremanayaka. Famous singer Nelu Adikari is Athula’s only younger sister. Athula’s was a musical family. Though his father taught English and Science subjects at school, he loved to play music instruments and sing along with Athula’s mother who was a music and dancing teacher. The background his sister and he got since their childhood moulded them to reach the peak as of at present though they never had any intention of choosing music as their profession. Every one born to this world is gifted with some talent to live. To what height they can climb up is decided by their previous Karma (good deeds). However much you try to divert one’s path of destiny, it won’t change. Athula’s was also a similar story. Athula studied the alphabet first at Ananda Vidyalaya, Chilaw where his mother was a teacher. He then entered Royal College, Colombo through a Grade Five Scholarship. he was at the hostel. After a few years he had a problem in finding a place to stay. His parents who noticed that it was affecting his studies, took him back to Ananda, Chilaw, when he was in grade 9. And that was how his fate directed towards music.

Athula studied Trinity College piano music upto grade 5. The Guitar was always an attraction. He learnt the Eastern music notes in singing from his mother. Music was his forte, Tennis and Badminton were among his few hobbies. Neil Warnakulasuriya, a guy who was a few years senior to Athula, was also from the same village, Mahawewa. Neil was at Thurstan College, Colombo, and after his exams he decided to form a band of his own. Neil and Athula knew each other since they were kids. As Athula re-entered Ananda Vidyalaya, Neil who was in search of young musicians invited Athula to join them. “My father always backed the idea, but Amma was not that happy and wanted me to concentrate on my studies more. She knew that I would neglect my studies if I started with music. However we, started our band `Sunflower’ in 1981. I was in grade 9 at that time, and joined Neil as the keyboardist,” says Athula.

`Sunflower’ which blossomed in Chilaw spread its popular fragrance all over the island within a short spell of time. Meanwhile Athula managed to sit for A/Ls in 1984, and inevitably strengthened his partnership with the band. `Sunflower’ released their first cassette in 1986. Athula was the keyboardist and had not tried his talents as a singer. But, in 1988, he tried his luck as a singer and released his first solo `Ran Palase’. Out of 12, six songs were hits. Not merely girls, but little ones, middle aged and elders soon became his fans.

If he says he has never had a crush before he met Samitha, it is inaccurate. He has had a few, he accepts. But, Samitha changed his life. “I first met her at `Janakala Centre’ when she came for a record her very first song `Ira Paya’. She had sung the song in her first teledrama where she played the main role in 1988 under the direction of Chandraratne Mapitigama. When she came to record her second song, `Rosa Puranaya’ both of them eventually developed an attraction to each other.