Professor Gananath Obeyesekere, a leading figure in anthropology and a prominent Sri Lankan academic, has passed away at the age of 95.
A former professor of anthropology at Princeton University, Obeyesekere was known for his influential work on religion, myth, and South Asian cultural practices.
His notable publications include The Apotheosis of Captain Cook, The Cult of Goddess Pattini, and The Awakened Ones, which gained international recognition and challenged Western interpretations of non-Western societies.
Educated at the University of Ceylon and then later at the University of Washington, Obeyesekere was a central figure in postcolonial anthropology.
His intellectual debates, particularly with historian Marshall Sahlins, helped shape discourse on historical interpretation and cultural representation. (Newswire)