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Research Staff
Muragala | Centre for Progressive Politics & Policy is a research collective which aims to generate ideas, enrich the discourse, and mobilise social action to create more equal and equitable societies in Sri Lanka and the region.
Mr Harindra B. Dassanayake is a senior researcher, policy analyst and visiting lecturer based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Formerly he was employed as Director (2015-2019, Research, Presidential Secretariat/Member – Gramashakthi National Advisory Council), Director (2012-2015), Department of Official Languages), and Head of Translations and Publications, & Research Coordinator (2008-2011, Colombo Institute for Advanced Study of Society and Culture). He was also a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Kelaniya, University of Colombo, and University of Peradeniya. He received a B.A. General Degree with Second Class Honours (Upper Division) at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka; an MA in Development Studies and Public Policy at the Open University of Sri Lanka; and an MSSC in Philosophy at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.
Ms Nuwani N. Rathugama’s research interests lie in human rights, transitional justice and international humanitarian law. She was a research assistant at the School of Law, Queen’s University Belfast, UK, researching on good practices of gender equality across the UK universities to suggest recommendations for Queen’s School of Law (December 2022- June 2023). She was attached to the United Nations as a Project Support Associate, based at the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka from 2019-2022. Nuwani has an LLM in International Human Rights Law from Queen’s University Belfast, UK, MA in Human Rights and Democratisation from the Centre for the Study of Human Rights, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka and an LLB (Hons) from the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. She is also an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.
Ms Manuja Wijesuriya is a final-year Geography student at the University of Peradeniya, with a particular interest in human geography and social sciences. Her primary focus is on Cyberspace and Social Movements, serving as the core of her final year dissertation. She is eager to explore the dynamics of current social issues, especially in South Asian countries, and seek practical solutions through empirical research.
Ms Nethmi Rajawasam is currently pursuing a B. A. (Hons) in English and TESOL, Linguistics. She previously completed a Diploma in Journalism at the Sri Lanka College of Journalism. She is, or has worked as, a freelance content writer and researcher at Economy Next, Echelon, Daily FT, and Surge Global.
Ms Akeedha Banu Nilavudeen is a final year undergraduate student pursuing a BA (Hons.) in Geography at the University of Peradeniya. She has a strong passion for social science research and a desire to contribute to meaningful initiatives. Her past work experience includes freelance translating, and volunteering at Sisterhood Initiative and Search for Common Ground.
Ms Omeli Rathnabharathi is a final-year undergraduate pursuing a BA (Hons) in Philosophy at the University of Peradeniya. She is a content writer and freelance presenter, and a Project Officer at the Federation of Local Government Authorities.
Ms Lahiruni Wickramaratnage is a final year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree (General) at the University of Peradeniya. She has a background in translation, creative writing, editorial work, and blogging. She conducts freelancer translation work and has volunteer experiences in environmental conservation movements, social service and community enhancement, and teaching.
Research Advisors
Muragala | Centre for Progressive Politics & Policy is a research collective which aims to generate ideas, enrich the discourse, and mobilise social action to create more equal and equitable societies in Sri Lanka and the region.
Dr Shreya Singh is an academic researcher and consultant with research expertise in visual politics, nuclear weapons, and national identity, grounded in the politics of India. Her PhD is titled, ‘Visualising India’s Nuclear Tests: How Images Shape National Identity’. It examines how influential domestic media sources represented India’s nuclear tests and what consequences follow from these representations. She was conferred her PhD from the University of Queensland, Australia in 2022 under the supervision of Professor Roland Bleiker, Professor Ian Hall and A/Professor Marianne Hanson. Dr Singh was a consultant for a project by Lex International, a Swiss research organization, on the visual narratives of the nuclear weapons’ threat in the Russia-Ukraine War in 2022. She is a research team member of ‘Abolitionist Approaches to Critical Geographical Research’, a multi-country research grant awarded by the Institute of Human Geography. Her work looks at the Anti-CAA protests that erupted all through India in 2019-2020, with a focus on gender and the visual politics of space. She is currently working as an advocacy and learning resources officer for a medical device company in Brisbane, Australia.