M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy

M. R. Narayan Swamy is a renowned Indian journalist and author known for his multi-dimensional reporting—from politics to insurgencies. Best known for his definitive works on the LTTE, he brings depth to South Asian affairs and conflict journalism.

One Homeland, Two Diasporas: Why Sri Lankan Tamils Reject a Shared Identity

One Homeland, Two Diasporas: Why Sri Lankan Tamils Reject a Shared Identity

By M.R. Narayan Swamy There is a Sri Lankan diaspora. There is also a Tamil diaspora. And the twain shall not meet – at least not in the foreseeable future. This is more so in countries where Tamils of Sri Lankan origin outnumber the Sinhalese, particularly in Canada and across much of Europe. The agonizing bitterness caused by years of ethnic conflict, which killed innumerable thousands, and the horrific rout of the Tamil Tigers after around 25 years of fighting have only hardened the ‘us’ a
Book Review October 2026
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Sri Lanka’s Unfinished Ethnic War

Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Sri Lanka’s Unfinished Ethnic War

By M.R. Narayan Swamy There can be little doubt that Tamil-Canadian actor Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is a victim of a section of Sri Lankans who detest her political views. The organised denunciation of her acting skills by Sinhalese-driven interest groups in Sri Lanka has succeeded in driving down the IMDb rating of the “Best of the Best”, the latest Netflix film starring the young Canadian woman. The attacks are directed primarily at her and less at the movie, which follows two childhood friends
Guest Column September 2026
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
The Easter Bombings Did Not Begin on Easter Sunday

The Easter Bombings Did Not Begin on Easter Sunday

By M.R. Narayan Swamy In April 2012, seven years before the Easter Sunday bloodbath, a landmark statue of Mahatma Gandhi was disfigured in the heart of Batticaloa town in Sri Lanka. It was the first statue of Gandhi ever erected outside India. His was one of several statues vandalised in eastern Sri Lanka in 2012 and in later years. The others included statues of Swami Vivekananda, fellow monk Swami Vipulananda, Tamil poet Subramania Bharati, poet-saint Tiruvalluvar and two prominent Britons.
Guest Column September 2026
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
The Tamil Mothers Are Still Grieving. Is Anura Listening?

The Tamil Mothers Are Still Grieving. Is Anura Listening?

By M.R. Narayan Swamy Jeyavanitha Kasipillai was crouched in the crowded camp for war-hit civilians at Omanthai when some Sri Lankan soldiers showed up and rudely snatched away her eldest daughter, Jeromi. Jeyavanitha still remembers screaming her head off as she desperately tried to ward off the armed intruders to save and retain the 16-year-old girl, who too was shouting and wailing. One of the heartless soldiers told the distraught mother in half Sinhala, half Tamil: “We believe your daugh
JM Exclusive August 2026
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
One Nation, One People — But on Whose Terms?

One Nation, One People — But on Whose Terms?

By M.R. Narayan Swamy One day in 1997, Sri Lanka’s air force chief, Oliver Ranasinghe, learnt from a “little bird” that the Defence Secretary had gone to the UK with his son to buy two C-130 aircraft. The C-130 was ideally suited for Sri Lanka. It can carry heavy loads and even operate out of unprepared airfields. But there were problems with these two aircraft. Both had been parked on a tarmac in the UK for 13 long years in extreme weather, without being flown or even the engines being run.
Book Review August 2026
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
A Colombo Tamil Family Looks Back at the Country It Lost

A Colombo Tamil Family Looks Back at the Country It Lost

By M.R. Narayan Swamy “For every Sinhalese soldier killed, we will kill a thousand Tamils!” This was the war cry echoing on the streets of strife-hit Colombo in July 1983 as Sharmala Kanagasundram and her family sped to safety in a car while vicious anti-Tamil violence swept the Sri Lankan capital. Sharmala, her husband Ajit, and their three young boys were part of the Colombo elite and led an idyllic life. They were sure they could be happy in the country until Ajit retired from the Central
Book Review August 2026
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
India Sends a Message to Colombo — and to Tamil Leaders

India Sends a Message to Colombo — and to Tamil Leaders

By M.R. Narayan Swamy The Indian government has publicly raised a demand for early Provincial Council elections in Sri Lanka despite knowing that powerful interest groups in the country are arrayed against devolution of power. During a hectic day-long visit to Colombo on Wednesday, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri urged President Anura Dissanayake to hold the much-delayed balloting to the Provincial Councils “at the earliest”. It is the closest India has come to saying that the elections
Guest Column Opinion & Analysis
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
How the LTTE Hollowed Out Tamil Society Long Before Its Military Defeat

How the LTTE Hollowed Out Tamil Society Long Before Its Military Defeat

By M.R. Narayan Swamy At a workshop for teenage Tamil girls in Jaffna, a teacher wanted to know who Nelson Mandela was. Several hands went up. Mandela fought for South Africa’s freedom and to end apartheid. The answer was apt. Okay, who was Mahatma Gandhi? Again, several hands went up. Gandhi led the Indian independence movement against the British. He was an apostle of non-violence. Correct. A third question followed: Who was (Appapillai) Amirthalingam? There was a silence in the classroo
Opinion Article
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy