Thalatha Gunasekara

Abeykoon Mudiyanselage Thalatha Abeykoon, known by her popular stage name Thalatha Gunasekara (Sinhala: තලතා ගුණසේකර), was a celebrated actress in Sri Lankan cinema. She was the mother of renowned actress Nadeeka Gunasekara.

Personal Life:
Thalatha Gunasekara was born on July 17, 1937, in Gampola, Kandy, Sri Lanka. She was the eldest among her five siblings. Her father, Tikiri Banda Abeykoon, was a Government Health Inspector from Gampola, and her mother, Leelawathi Abeykoon Menike, had a unique and lengthy surname as a member of the noble caste of Kandy. Thalatha had two younger sisters, Sita and Sri Kanthi, as well as two younger brothers, Senarath and Sena.

She received her primary education at Kingswood College in Kandy, and later attended Hillwood College, where she studied amidst her parents' strict rules. Thalatha excelled in Western music and even won prizes for playing the piano.

Thalatha Gunasekara married Dissanayake Wijesuriya Stanley Gunasekara from Udahenatenna. Stanley worked at the Nawalapitiya and Pussellawa post offices, and eventually became the Deputy Postmaster General. The couple had four daughters: Nadeeka, Ganga, Vidya, and Yamuna, all of whom pursued acting careers. They also had one son named Priyantha. Stanley Gunasekara passed away on April 18, 2010.

Nadeeka Gunasekara, Thalatha's daughter, was born on May 13, 1958, in Kandy. She attended Pushpadana Girls' College and Vishaka College in Bandarawela, completing her A/L from Mahamaya Girls' College in Kandy. Nadeeka is married to businessman Suren Hapuarachchi, and they have a daughter named Thenuki Sehansa. Nadeeka has appeared in numerous popular Sinhala films, including "Kanchana," "Chanchala Rekha," "Biththi Hathara," "Thani Tharuwa," "Ahinsa," "Oba Mata Wiswasai," "Angara Dangara," and "Daruwane."

Thalatha's other daughters, Ganga, Vidya, and Yamuna, also pursued acting careers. Ganga appeared in films such as "Adishtana," "Okkoma Rajawaru," and "Kanchana." Vidya appeared in "Adishtana" and "Me Desa Kumatada," while Yamuna acted in the teledrama series "Hingana Kolla."

Thalatha Gunasekara passed away on September 17, 2003, at the age of 66.

Early Life:
After completing her Senior Examination in English medium, Thalatha attended Zahira College in Gampola for further studies and University Entrance preparation. During this time, she also had the opportunity to teach senior students as an English Assistant Teacher. At the age of 17, she received her first appointment as an English Assistant Teacher at St. Andrew's College in Nawalapitiya, where she taught her peers. Notable students she encountered during this period included Jenny Winifrida (film actress), K.S. Venkat (film director), and Ahangama Piyasena (film actor). In 1957, she became an English