vir at ne , ▁Man at ung a ▁W ij er at ne ▁and ▁Man at ung a ▁Ari yar at ne ▁and ▁two ▁sister s , ▁Ind ra ▁K um ari ▁and ▁Mal lika ▁K um ari . ▁ ▁At ▁an ▁early ▁age , ▁his ▁music ▁teacher , ▁Sun il ▁Sri yan anda , ▁recogn ised ▁his ▁ab ilities ▁and ▁encourag ed ▁him ▁to ▁take ▁up ▁acting ▁and ▁singing . ▁During ▁his ▁school ▁times , ▁he ▁engaged ▁in ▁several ▁educational ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁extra ▁curr icular ▁activities ▁such ▁as ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Sin h ala ▁Liter ary ▁Association ▁( 1 9 6 5 ), ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Theater ▁Council ▁( 1 9 6 6 ), ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Sin h ala ▁Association ▁( 1 9 6 7 – 6 8 ) ▁and ▁Committee ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁D rama ▁Board ▁and ▁Gand har va ▁con greg ation ▁( 1 9 6 9 ). ▁Man or at ne ▁was ▁the ▁Student ▁Le ader ▁at ▁Boys ' ▁Host el ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 – 6 6 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁Senior ▁Most ▁Val u able ▁Player ▁in ▁College ▁Inter - A th let ic ▁Championship . ▁ ▁After ▁comple ting ▁his ▁secondary ▁education ▁with ▁Geography , ▁Sin h ala ▁and ▁Buddh ist ▁Civil ization ▁for ▁G . C . E ▁A / L , ▁he ▁attended ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Per aden i ya , ▁where ▁he ▁continued ▁to ▁study ▁drama ▁under ▁the ▁guidance ▁of ▁Professor ▁Ed iri