Chitrasena | |
|---|---|
 Chitrasena | |
| Born | Amaratunga Arachige Maurice Dias 26 January 1921 Kelaniya, Sri Lanka |
| Died | 18 July 2005 (aged 84) |
| Occupation | Dancer |
| Spouse | Vajira Chitrasena (m. 1951 – 2004) |
Deshamanya Amaratunga Arachige Maurice Dias, (26 January 1921 – 18 July 2005), popularly known by his mononym Chitrasena, was a Sri Lankan dancer, internationally known for his work in establishing a modern Sri Lankan tradition of dance and popularizing traditional Sri Lankan dance forms worldwide. He was awarded the Deshamanya award by the Sri Lankan government in 1998. He later moved to India to study other dance forms.
Chitrasena found the Chithrasena Dance Company in 1943. He studied in the Shantinikethan in India. In 1951, Chithrasena married his pupil Vajira, who went on to become a fine performer. Chithrasena has danced before maharajas, Queen Elizabeth II, dukes and duchesses, prime ministers, princesses, and kings.