Launch of Prathyavalōkana

The English translation of Prathyavalōkana: Four-FacetedHistory of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences: 1959-2022 was officially launched on 4 November 2026, with the presentation of the first copy to the Vice-Chancellor at the Vice-Chancellor’s Office of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The photographs show the Dean of the Faculty Senior Professor Shirantha Heenkenda, and the Editor-in-Chief and Translator Professor Chitra Jayathilake presenting the copy.

Spanning approximately 250 pages and comprising around 68000 words, the publication documents the history of the faculty from its inception in 1959 up to the acquisition of its second main building, Sri Wimaladhamma Mandiraya, in 2022. The book comprises four chapters, each adopting a distinct approach to presenting the FHSS’s institutional journey through pictorial documentation, archival records, documentary evidence and oral histories. Drawing on photographs, historical records and personal recollections, the publication captures the faculty’s development, achievements and significant milestones over more than six decades. It also serves as an important contribution to preserving the FHSS’s institutional memory and making its heritage accessible to future generations of readers, researchers and academics.