Ramla Wahab-Salman, Executive Director
Ramla manages programming, library services, digital humanities projects and the administration of AILS Colombo.
She is a researcher in History with interests in global image archives and urban history. Ramla is a film archival producer and TEDx speaker.
She holds a B.A. (Hons.) History from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi and M.A. History (South Asia) from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.
Amali Wijesundara, Finance and Administration Manager
Amali manages AILS finances and takes a leading role in other administrative matters. She is in charge of the language instruction programme.
She is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK) and has worked and gained more than 30 years experience in the field of Finance in top corporates covering many industries in Sri Lanka.
Nihara De Alwis, Senior Programming Officer
Nihara De Alwis holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Studies with minors in Sociology and Economics from the University of Colombo. She has worked as an interdisciplinary researcher for over three years and contributed to various projects and publications. Her research interests include psychology, linguistics and the intersection of language and culture.
Dorina Punniyamoorthy, Administrative Officer
Dorina Punniyamoorthy is the Administrative Officer at AILS. She manages administrative work and coordinates academic programs, workshops, conferences, and research initiatives, while also supporting archival and digitization projects.
She is proficient in Tamil, English and Sinhala and provides English–Tamil translation for academic materials. She holds a BA (Hons.) and an MA in Political Science from the University of Peradeniya. Her research interests include Sri Lankan history, comparative politics, and South Asian political culture.
Nanduni Shashipaba, Library Officer
Nanduni holds a B.A. in Geography and Environmental Management from the University of Colombo. Her interests include environmental studies, demography, and Japanese language and culture.
Dinithi Rathnayake, Programming Officer
Dinithi assists with digital humanities initiatives at AILS Colombo and supports various academic and administrative programs. She holds a BA (Hons) in English from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda. Her research interests include Postcolonial Studies, Translation Studies, Postmodern Theatre, and Digital Humanities.
Kinara Kumudesh, Intern
Kinara Kumudesh is an undergraduate researcher pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Her academic interests span literature, postcolonial studies, and literary and cultural theory.
Ariana Akbar, Intern
Ariana Akbar is a student at Colombo International School with interests in history, international relations, economics, and political science with a particular interest in colonial and post colonial studies.
Heili Rambukwella, Intern
Heili Rambukwella is a student artist with research interests in modern and contemporary Sri Lankan art,cultural memory and trauma. She has lived in Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and the UAE.
John Rogers, United States Director, AISLS
John handles AISLS operations in the United States, and he oversees the relationship between AISLS and AILS. He is based in Massachusetts, but he spends two to three months each year in Colombo.
He holds a Ph.D. in History from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, and has research interests in the social and legal history of South Asia and Sri Lanka. He has also taught at Tufts University, Harvard University, Dartmouth College, and Northeastern University.
