Senior Lecturer (Mrs) Dulanga Gunarathna officially assumed duties as the new Head of the Department of Fine Arts, University of Kelaniya, on 18 May 2026 at the Department premises.

Senior Lecturer Gunarathna is an esteemed academic and artist specializing in Sri Lankan traditional dance, dance culture, dance documentation, screen dance, choreography, and performance studies. Her subject specializations include Kandyan dance, folk dance traditions, Bharathanatyam, dance ethnography, intangible cultural heritage, dance film and screen dance, and interdisciplinary dance education.

Since her appointment as a Senior Lecturer in 2017, she has significantly contributed to the advancement of university-level dance education through teaching, research, choreography, curriculum development, and academic leadership.

With a strong academic and artistic background, she holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Performing Arts (Dance) from the University of Kelaniya, where her research focused on ancient dance and drum traditions in Sri Lanka. She graduated with First Class Honors in Performing Arts in 2008 from the same university. Her academic qualifications further include diplomas in Choreography and Bharathanatyam from institutions in Sri Lanka and India, along with professional certifications in research methodology and staff development.

As the Coordinator of the MA in Dance Programme (6th Batch), she has contributed to strengthening the academic depth and interdisciplinary relevance of dance studies. Her research interests focus on recontextualizing Sri Lankan traditional dance through historical, cultural, ethnographic, and critical perspectives. She has presented research papers at several international conferences, including the ICTMD World Conference 2025 in New Zealand, ICOAH 2024, ICICH, the International Humanities Conferences, and the GARI Conference, and has published scholarly articles in her specialized fields.

Mrs Gunarathna is also an award-winning performer in Kandyan, Bharathanatyam, creative, and folk dance traditions. She has received numerous national and university awards, including the SAARC Women’s Association Award for academic excellence and several first-place titles in national dance competitions. Her contributions as a judge and mentor in programmes such as Bihidora Abiyasa and Kalana Art Festival demonstrate her dedication to nurturing emerging artists.

In 2024, she represented Sri Lanka at the Asian Screen Dance Festival and produced the dance film Kandyan Dancer, further expanding her expertise in dance cinema and screen-based performance practices.