Prasannajit De Silva May 2026

Mr. De Silva also served as the Consul General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai.

Unlike many practicing lawyers, Prasannajit de Silva is also a scholar. He has lectured extensively at the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, and served as an examiner for the Sri Lanka Law College. His written opinions, often cited in the Sri Lanka Law Reports, focus on the intersection of the Companies Act No. 7 of 2007 and common law fiduciary duties.

Legal scholars note that de Silva’s judgments (in his capacity as an arbitrator) and his legal opinions tend to favor ex post regulation—the idea that regulators must act swiftly after a breach to restore market confidence, rather than just drafting prospective rules.

One of the most significant milestones in his career was his leadership of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), the apex body of the legal profession in the country.

A central tension in de Silva’s oeuvre is his ambiguous relationship to the figure of the witness. Many of his poems are written in the first person, yet this “I” is notoriously unstable. It shifts between a child, an adult, a ghost, and sometimes a collective entity. In poems dealing with the disappeared—a hauntingly common trope in post-war Sri Lankan literature—de Silva refuses the redemptive arc of testimony. Instead of a speaker who remembers and thus overcomes trauma, we find a speaker who is constituted by forgetting.

His poem “The Identified” exemplifies this. The speaker lists objects found in a mass grave: “A belt buckle. / A school pin. / A right shoe. / The left one // still walking / somewhere else.” The movement from tangible evidence to surreal impossibility (“the left one still walking”) collapses the distinction between forensic fact and spectral imagination. De Silva suggests that memory is not a retrieval system but a haunted house. The disappeared do not return as full subjects; they return as dislocated objects—a shoe, a fragment of cloth—that refuse to be integrated into a coherent narrative. The poet’s task, then, is not to bear witness in the classical sense (to speak for the dead), but to bear the failure of witnessing. He presents the silences, the gaps in the archive, as primary data. This is a radical departure from the testimonial poetry of survivors; de Silva writes from the perspective of the second generation, or the peripheral observer, for whom trauma is inherited not as memory but as an absence—a black hole in the family album.

Dr. Prasannajit de Silva is an art historian and educator specializing in British visual culture and its intersections with colonial India. While formal critical "reviews" of his person are rare, he is widely regarded in academic and arts societies for his expertise in how colonial identities were shaped through art. Academic Background & Specialization

Dr. de Silva completed his doctorate in 2007, focusing on British art in India during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. His work primarily explores:

Colonial Identity: How the British in India used visual media—such as paintings, prints, and portraiture—to differentiate themselves from both the local Indian population and the British population at home.

Visual Culture: His research covers a broad range of subjects, including architecture, design, and even the representational strategies used to depict British hill stations in India.

Artistic Influence: He often lectures on major figures like James McNeill Whistler, analyzing the social and legal implications of their work, such as the famous libel case against John Ruskin. Public Presence & Lecturing

He is a frequent and sought-after speaker for The Arts Society and the London Art History Society, where his lectures are noted for being meticulously researched and insightful.

Course Topics: He leads in-depth courses on the "Golden Age of British Portraiture" and the "picturesque aesthetic" in India. prasannajit de silva

Teaching Roles: His career includes significant teaching positions at the University of Sussex, Birkbeck (University of London), and the Workers' Educational Association. Critical Perspective

In his book Colonial Self-Fashioning in British India, c. 1785–1845, de Silva is praised for providing a nuanced interpretation of colonial life. Rather than adhering to stereotypical views of racial harmony or rigid segregation, he uses a "textured" analysis of visual images to reveal the complex social and political realities of the British East India Company era.

His work is essential for anyone interested in how art served as a tool for self-definition in a colonial setting, bridging the gap between aesthetic appreciation and social history. Colonial Self Fashioning in British India, c.1785-1845

Dr. Prasannajit de Silva is a distinguished art historian and lecturer specializing in British visual culture of the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly within the context of the British Empire in India. The London Art History Society Professional Profile Expertise:

His research focuses on the social context of art, exploring how identity and "difference" were visualized during the colonial era. Key Publication: He is the author of

Colonial Self-Fashioning in British India, c. 1785-1845: Visualising Identity and Difference , published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing in 2018. Academic Background:

He earned his doctorate in 2007, with a thesis centered on the art produced by the British in India. Lecturing: He is a frequent speaker for organizations such as the London Art History Society

, The Arts Society, and the Workers' Educational Association (WEA). Research Highlights

De Silva often examines specific historical portraits and narratives to uncover broader social histories. A notable example is his work on the portrait of Joanna de Silva (a "Native of Bengal" and an

or nursemaid), where he explores the significance of names and inscriptions in identifying the origins and travel itineraries of colonial subjects. The University of Chicago Press: Journals

He has also held teaching positions at the University of Sussex and Birkbeck, University of London, and has been involved in coordinating major academic projects for journals like Art History Wiley Online Library or more details on one of his published papers INTRODUCTION: ABOUT STEPHEN BANN - CHERRY - 2005

Prasannajit de Silva is a prominent art historian, academic, and author whose work focuses on the intersection of British art and colonial identity. A central tension in de Silva’s oeuvre is

His professional narrative is centered on challenging historical stereotypes about how the British lived and perceived themselves in India during the 18th and 19th centuries. Academic Foundation : He completed his PhD at the University of Sussex Specialization

: His research and teaching focus heavily on 18th- and 19th-century British art. Major Published Work

De Silva's most significant contribution to his field is the book

Colonial Self-Fashioning in British India, c. 1785–1845: Visualising Identity and Difference published in 2018. The Core Thesis

: The book argues against the "stereotypical view" that the 19th-century British in India lived in total isolation from their surroundings. Visual Analysis

: He uses visual material—including paintings and prints often overlooked by other scholars—to show how British residents negotiated their identities. Key Findings

: He explores how colonists used art to distinguish themselves not just from the Indian population, but also from people back home in Britain. Professional Roles

He has held several teaching and lecturing positions across notable UK institutions: Birkbeck, University of London : Associate Lecturer in History of Art. University of Sussex : Associate Tutor in Art History. Workers' Educational Association (WEA) : Sessional Lecturer. Public Speaking

: He frequently delivers lectures on historical topics, such as "The Grand Tour". If you'd like, I can: Provide a more detailed summary of a specific chapter from his book. Help you find academic reviews of his research. Look for information on other publications he may have contributed to. Let me know which area you'd like to explore further! Colonial Self-fashioning in British India, C. 1785-1845

Dr. Prasannajit de Silva is a distinguished art historian and lecturer specializing in the visual culture of the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly within the context of the British Empire

. His work often explores how identity and social status were constructed through art during the colonial period.

Here is some interesting content centered on his work and expertise: The "Grand Tour" in Your Living Room One of Dr. de Silva's popular lecture topics is the European Grand Tour Searching for Prasannajit de Silva today yields results

. During the 18th and 19th centuries, wealthy young Britons traveled across continental Europe as a "cultural rite of passage". The Original Selfie:

Instead of digital photos, travelers commissioned lavish portraits from famous Italian artists like Pompeo Batoni to prove they had "made it" to Rome. Souvenir Evolution:

He examines how these trips influenced British art and architecture back home, turning Italian classical styles into a staple of British high society. Visualizing the British Raj Dr. de Silva’s research, including his book Colonial Self-Fashioning in British India, c. 1785-1845

, reveals the subtle "power plays" hidden in colonial paintings. Dressing for Power:

His work explores how British officials in India used art to distance themselves from their "colonial neighborhood," emphasizing their "Britishness" even while surrounded by Indian culture. The "Aristocratic" Civil Servant:

He highlights how middle-class civil servants used oil paintings to adopt the poses and lifestyles of the British aristocracy, essentially "branding" themselves as elite rulers. Historical Discovery: The "Bloomsbury" Trail

Beyond India, Dr. de Silva lectures on the history and architecture of London’s University quarter, Bloomsbury Science Meets Stone:

He reveals the hidden histories of the University of London colleges, linking architectural landmarks to groundbreaking scientific discoveries—from the first steam engines to the invention of the first anesthetic. or more details on British colonial art AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more

Searching for Prasannajit de Silva today yields results from diverse fields: corporate board appointments, Supreme Court rulings, and arbitration awards. For a law student, he is a role model of how to balance scholarship with practice. For an investor in Sri Lanka, his name is a stamp of regulatory integrity. For a CEO, he is the lawyer you call when the company faces an existential legal crisis.

In a profession often accused of peddling influence, Prasannajit de Silva stands as a testament to the power of merit. He has proven that a lawyer can be both a fierce advocate in the courtroom and a wise regulator in the commission chamber.

No profile would be complete without addressing the legal controversy that briefly brought de Silva into the public spotlight. In the late 2010s, his name surfaced in connection with the "Fingersmith" bond issuance case, where he acted as counsel for certain primary dealers. Critics alleged conflicts of interest regarding legal opinions provided during controversial treasury bond auctions.

De Silva maintained that his opinions were strictly within professional legal ethics, asserting: "A lawyer’s duty is to advise on the law as it stands, not to set monetary policy." Ultimately, no formal disciplinary action was taken against him by the Supreme Court’s disciplinary committee, but the episode highlighted the grey areas where law, finance, and politics collide in Sri Lanka.