Mr. Nihal Nelson who was an expert singer, songwriter and composer, has passed away today (13). He was 76 years old at the time of his death, and his music career is 59 years old. He had the rare fortune of being a singer whose popularity never waned on the concert stage till the last moment.
The pioneer of the Sri Lankan concert scene, he holds the record for the most albums recorded by a Sri Lankan artist with 113 song albums released.
‘Salli Miti Ganan’, ‘Paththarawala Wisthara’, ‘Rosa Malakui Nelum Malakui’, ‘Amma Nathi Kale’, ‘Lassanata Pipuna Wana Mal’, ‘Kiridunne Daruwantai’, ‘Kavadi baila’, ‘Gune Ayage Kamare’ are just a few of his many popular songs. He has also worked as a background singer in many films such as ‘Pem Kurullo’, ‘Sakvithi Suwa’, ‘Loka Horu’, ‘Rodaya’, ‘Hari Yana Kota Ohoma Thama’, ‘Sandun’, ‘Awurudu Thaththa’, ‘Warusa’, ‘Mal’, ‘Valampuri Diyamanthi’.
Born in Moratuwa, Mr. Nihal Nelson attended Innocent Mary Mixed School, known as Rawatawatta Methodist College and Moratu Maha Vidyalaya. Mr. Nihal Nelson married Miss Malini Sriyalatha in 1974 and the couple were the loving parents of a son, Kanchana Tharanga, who is currently working as a radio sound operator. Nihal’s wife, Malini, passed away in July 2020.
In 2015, Nelson was awarded the ‘Moratupura Rathnavibhushana’, and in January 2021, the third lane in his hometown, Moratuwa Rawatawattha was named after him.
