On the 14th of April, 1915, in the peaceful village of Setthappaduwa, Pamunugama, a
child named Baddaliyanage Joseph John was born—a pious little prince and a
cherished gift to the people during the festive season of Sinhala and Hindu New Year.
Baddaliyanage Don Pemiyanu and Maharage Engaltina, were his lovely parents.
However, joy soon turned to sorrow. When baby Joseph was just three months old, his
father Pemiyanu passed away suddenly. Following this heartbreaking loss, Engaltina
returned to her native village, Dehiyagatha, with her children and settled in their
ancestral home.
Tragedy struck again in 1918, when little Joseph was only three years old. A deadly
contagious fever claimed the life of his mother, Engaltina, leaving him orphaned at a very
young age. From then on, Joseph was lovingly raised by his grandmother in the village of
Dehiyagatha.
That little boy, who overcame immense sorrow and hardship, later became Sunil
Santha—a monumental figure in Sri Lankan music history, who reshaped the sound of a
nation with his deep-rooted love for indigenous melodies.