Who wrote the lyrics of Sri Lanka’s national anthem, “Sri Lanka Matha”?

Ananda Samarakoon wrote the lyrics of Sri Lanka’s national anthem, “Sri Lanka Matha.”

Samarakoon also composed the melody. The song was written in Sinhala and became associated with Sri Lankan national identity during the period surrounding independence from British rule. Sri Lanka became independent in 1948, and the song was selected as the national anthem after a competition.

“Sri Lanka Matha” means “Mother Sri Lanka.” Its lyrics praise the island, its natural beauty, unity, and cultural heritage. The anthem is officially performed in Sinhala, and a Tamil version is also recognized for official use, reflecting the country’s multilingual population.

Rabindranath Tagore is sometimes incorrectly credited because of his major influence on South Asian music and national songs. However, the lyrics and melody of Sri Lanka’s anthem are attributed to Ananda Samarakoon, who studied under Tagore at Santiniketan.