Sri Lanka (A Land in Search of Itself)

At the time of its independence in 1948, Sri Lanka-or Ceylon, as it was then called-was a torchbearer in social and human development among the newly independent countries of the Third World. Blessed with Nature’s beauty as well as bounty, the post-independence history of this pearl of an island has been partly episode, the author of the present book argues, have to do with the incapacity of a people to come to terms with a pluralistic polity and society in the post-colonical period. The present book surveys the island-nation’s colourful past and enigmatic present and seeks to provide an insightful introduction to the general reader about this multi-dimensional and significant nation of the South Asia.

Mohan K. Tikku has closely followed developments in Sri Lanka ever since he served as the Hindustan Times correspondent in Colombo through the IPKF years (1987-90). Apart from his extensive coverage including, he has reported on other areas of conflict including Afghanistan and the first Gulf war. He has been Programme, Paris, and a senior Fellow of the ICSSR in New Delhi.