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How Sri Lankan Tamils Came To Have ‘English’ Names By Vinod Moonesinghe  Source:-https://roar.media Many Sri Lankan Tamils have English or otherwise European names, and are often confused with Burghers or Eurasians. How this came to be constitutes a vital part of the evolution of modern Sri Lanka.  The story begins with the British invasion of the island in the late 18th century and conquest of the lowlands, hitherto occupied by the Dutch. Unlike previous European invaders, the British were more concerned with Ceylon’s  strategic position in relation to India, and so expedience and budgetary constraints played a major part in their decision-making on the island. After the British occupied the country 1796, they appointed Dutch Burghers, descendants of the Europeans employed by the former colonial power, to positions in the administration,  to mediate between them and the native population. The historian, lawyer and politician Colvin R de Silva noted, in ...