COLOMBO : Professor B. A. Hussainmiya, Ph.D., a distinguished historian and internationally recognised scholar in Malay, South Asian, and Southeast Asian studies, has been appointed as a member of the Archaeology Advisory Committee.
With over five decades of academic service—spanning the University of Peradeniya, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, and other leading international institutions—Professor Hussainmiya brings exceptional expertise in historical research, archival studies, manuscript preservation, and cultural heritage scholarship.
His pioneering contributions include the discovery and documentation of rare Malay, Arabic–Tamil, and Islamic manuscripts in Sri Lanka, extensive advisory work for national archives, and a prolific body of publications on Southeast Asian history, Brunei’s constitutional development, and the Sri Lankan Malay community. He has also served as a Visiting Lecturer at the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, Oluvil, where he contributed to curriculum development, academic reform, and the advancement of historical and cultural studies in the Eastern Province.
In addition to his scholarly achievements, Professor Hussainmiya has actively participated in archaeological fieldwork and excavation programmes, contributing to the interpretation, classification, and preservation of artefacts and historical materials both in Sri Lanka and internationally. His deep engagement with archival research and field-based archaeological inquiry uniquely positions him as a bridge between textual scholarship and material heritage studies.
As a Research Fellow at the Sri Lanka Institute of Ethnic Studies and a former Fulbright Scholar, he continues to play a transformative role in shaping national discussions on history, heritage, and identity. His appointment significantly strengthens the Archaeology Advisory Committee’s capacity for evidence-based decision-making, archaeological management, manuscript conservation, and the safeguarding of Sri Lanka’s diverse and multilayered cultural heritage.
