Sri Lanka, April 1 -- On March 25, the renowned Sri Lankan social anthropologist Prof. Gananath Obeyesekere of Princeton University, passed away leaving academia across the world immeasurably poorer. Till his last breath, at the ripe old age of 95, the genial giant was steeped in inquiries about cultures and mode of thinking across continents, giving them a new meaning and relevance.

With his wide range of interests, inter-disciplinary approach and rich field data, the Late Dr. Obeyesekere raised the bar for Sri Lankan and global anthropologists.

His interests spread across countries and continents making social anthropology more than a science of little cultures in remote corners of the globe. His University, Princeton, expressed its ...