Greshan Ananda

Bajjala Walawwe Gretien Ananda Abeykoon ( ග්‍රේෂන් ආනන්ද; 15 March 1957 – 29 December 2010), also as Gration Ananda or Greshan Ananda, was a Sri Lankan singer, composer, songwriter and a lyricist. Considered as the best Sinhalese film score musician to have emerged in the country since the veteran artist the Late H.R. Jothipala, Ananda sang for more than 400 films with a musical career that spanned nearly three decades.

He died at the age of 53 while receiving treatments at National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo.

Personal life

He was born on 15 March 1957 to a family immersed in music. His father Bajjala Walawwe Shelton Abeykoon was a police officer and mother Bernadette Bernadine Jayawardena Amadoru, was a music teacher and a pianist. His grand father Brigadier Charley Jayawardena Amador was a renowned musician who served in the British Army. He spent his early childhood in Kandy, after he moved to hometown Tangalle for primary education. The family had to move frequently as the father’s job was transferred from time to time, where he attended to as many as 10 schools. He first went to Little Flower Convent in Tangalle and then to St.Mathew College Dematagoda. Then he completed Advanced Level Examination from Saint Joseph’s College, Colombo.

He was a devoted Catholic, where he never missed a Tuesday mass at St Anthony’s Church, Kochchikade in Colombo. He polished his music ability as a chorister of All Saints’ Church in Borella by Reverend Father John Herath OMI.

As a result of a romantic relationship, Ananda married his longtime partner Srima Abeykoon on January 11, 1985, at St. Cecilia’s Church, Colombo. The couple has one daughter, Dulanjalee Chathurya and one son, Mario Angelo. His son Mario Ananda was born on 12 May 1991 and completed education from father’s school, St.Joseph College. He started music career after Gratien’s death to continue his legacy. In October 2020, his daughter Dulanjali released her maiden song Nidahase with a music video.