A powerful collection of thirty-four true-life stories that trace the origins, hardships, and triumphs of one of the world’s most resilient communities.
The displacement of Sri Lanka’s Tamils began in the 1950s, when discriminatory laws such as the Sinhala Only Act stripped them of language rights, limiting access to education, jobs, and public services. Coupled with recurring anti-Tamil violence, these policies drove the first waves of migration.
Over the ensuing decades – from the pogroms of the 1970s, to the mass violence of Black July in 1983, and the devastating civil war that ended in 2009 – more than a million Tamils fled their homeland in search of safety, dignity, and opportunity.
In these pages, Tamils displaced by conflict and discrimination, as well as their children and grandchildren, share deeply personal journeys. They span continents and professions — artists, writers, scientists, humanitarians, politicians, educators, athletes, and community leaders — building new lives in Canada, Australia, Europe, the UK, and beyond.
Through meticulous research and heartfelt interviews, Ana Pararajasingham situates these individual lives within the wider historical forces of colonial legacies, post-independence nationalism, and global geopolitics. The result is a portrait of a people who, despite profound loss, have bridged cultures, preserved heritage, and forged new identities.
UPROOTED challenges stereotypes, counters prejudice, and celebrates achievement. It honours a community scattered by policy and violence, yet united by perseverance and hope. These narratives transcend borders, inviting readers everywhere to reflect on migration, human rights, and the enduring search for belonging.
If you are moved by true stories of resilience and the will to overcome, UPROOTED will offer you insight, empathy, and inspiration. Scroll up and click “Buy Now” to begin the journey
Ana Pararajasingham is the author of Uprooted and an independent researcher and writer with a longstanding interest in justice, displacement, and identity-issues that have shaped both his personal journey and professional work. His previous works include: Sri Lanka: A Victor's Peace published in 2019.He served as Director of Programmes at the Centre for Just Peace and Democracy (CJPD), a Switzerland-based action research centre, from 2007 to 2009. A strong proponent of multiculturalism, Ana advocates for it as the most viable path forward for multiethnic societies seeking lasting peace, inclusion, and cohesion.
