Latha Walpola

Latha Walpola
ලතා වල්පොල
Born
Matharage Rita Genevieve Fernando

(1934-11-11)11 November 1934
Died27 December 2025(2025-12-27) (aged 91)
Resting placeKanatte Cemetery
Other namesLatha Fernando
EducationSt. Anthony's Convent
OccupationSinger
SpouseDharmadasa Walpola (1958-1983)
Children4, including
Dhammika Perera
Amith Walpola
Parents
  • Joseph Fernando (father)
  • Elizabeth Muriel (mother)
RelativesMahinda Bandara (son-in-law)
Raju Bandara (cousin son)
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentVocals
Years active1946–2020
Labels
  • Torana
  • Tharanga
  • HMV
  • Columbia
AwardsDeshamanya, Kalasuri

Deshamanya Kalasuri Matharage Rita Genevieve Fernando (11 November 1934 – 27 December 2025), better known by her stage name Latha Walpola (Sinhala: ලතා වල්පොල), was a Sri Lankan singer. Affectionately known as "The Nightingale of Sri Lanka", Walpola had a stellar career as a playback singer spanned for eight decades and sang about 6750 songs for nearly 600 films.