Prasannajit | De Silva
Published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing , this work is a critical analysis of how British residents in India forged new identities. De Silva argues that these identities were not monolithic but were constantly negotiated through "visualizing identity and difference".
In a rare interview with the Bar Association Law Journal , articulated his core philosophy: "Commercial law is not a set of handcuffs; it is the lubrication for the engine of commerce. Without trust in the legal system, capital flees to jurisdictions with clearer rules."
at Birkbeck, University of London Associate Tutor in Art History at the University of Sussex
2. Socio-Environmental Research and the Water Crisis in Sri Lanka
De Silva has also applied an anthropological lens to disaster relief mechanisms, specifically evaluating the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. prasannajit de silva
of , this isn't science fiction—it's the core of his life’s work.
Dr. de Silva has held teaching positions at some of the United Kingdom’s most respected institutions. He has served as an Associate Lecturer in History of Art at Birkbeck, University of London, and as an Associate Tutor in Art History at the University of Sussex. He has also taught courses for the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA), bringing his expertise to a wider public audience.
is a distinguished art historian, academic, and author whose research primarily explores the intricate relationship between British visual culture, social identity, and colonial history in the 18th and 19th centuries. Known for his in-depth analysis of "hybridity" and "going native" within the British Empire, de Silva’s work spans academia, teaching, and public lecturing. Academic Background and Specialization
: He uses visual material—including paintings and prints often overlooked by other scholars—to show how British residents negotiated their identities. Key Findings Published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing , this work
While Dr. de Silva's research is distinguished, it is his dedication to teaching and public engagement that has most directly shaped his legacy. He has held a number of academic positions, demonstrating his versatility and commitment to education. These have included roles as an Associate Lecturer in History of Art at Birkbeck, University of London, and an Associate Tutor in Art History at the University of Sussex.
In deep collaborative ethnographic studies, such as Drinking Water and CKD of Unknown Etiology in Sri Lanka: A Community Perspective , de Silva and his co-researchers document a tragic cultural shift. Historically, water in rural Sri Lankan villages (like those in the Anuradhapura and Medawachchiya districts) was a communal asset, a symbol of prosperity, and a core component of Buddhist and agricultural rituals. De Silva's research highlights how the arrival of CKDu turned traditional dug wells and village reservoirs from sources of life and communal sharing into ominous symbols of toxicity, disease, and death. The Commodification of a Basic Right
His legacy is visible every day on the trading floor of the Colombo Stock Exchange. The rules that prevent price rigging, the codes that force family-owned conglomerates to disclose related-party transactions, and the protections for minority shareholders—many of these exist today because Prasannajit de Silva wrote them into force.
Before ascending to the bench, Prasannajit De Silva had a long and impactful career as a practicing lawyer. Without trust in the legal system, capital flees
His breakthrough scholarship re-evaluates the complex social fabrics, spatial landscapes, and racial dynamics of the British Empire. He is best known for his monograph, Colonial Self-Fashioning in British India, c. 1785–1845: Visualising Identity and Difference (2018).
De Silva looks closely at the visual optics of mixed-race families and British men alongside their native mistresses, known as bibis . While past historians viewed these paintings as proof of multi-ethnic harmony, de Silva analyzes them as tactical exercises in identity management. The canvas allowed Anglo-Indian households to depict highly specific, localized domestic hierarchies, negotiating the friction between fondness for native lifestyles and the structural need to maintain European dominance. 2. The Aristocratic Pivot
Colonial Self-Fashioning in British India, c. 1785-1845: Visualising Identity and Difference , published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing in 2018. Academic Background:
After stepping down from the SEC, Prasannajit de Silva returned to full-time practice as a President’s Counsel, leading the litigation department at one of Sri Lanka’s leading firms. He continues to serve as an independent director on several blue-chip companies and as a panel arbitrator for the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).
