South Asia Foresight Network Appoints Daya Gamage as Senior Fellow

Washington, D.C. | November 11, 2025 — The South Asia Foresight Network (SAFN), a leading South Asian think tank operating under the Millennium Project, is pleased to announce the appointment of Daya Gamage as Senior Fellow (Honorary).

Daya Gamage brings over two decades of distinguished service with the U.S. Department of State, where he served from 1970 to 1994 at the American diplomatic mission in Colombo, Sri Lanka. In his role as Foreign Service National Political Specialist, Gamage gained a unique and intimate understanding of U.S. foreign policy and its engagement with Sri Lanka during critical moments in the island’s political history. His work offered valuable insight into how Sri Lanka navigated its domestic and global relations amid the evolving strategic dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region, where India’s influence has long been profound.

Throughout his professional career, Gamage has been deeply engaged in analytical, research, and investigative work on Sri Lanka’s socio-political landscape, focusing particularly on U.S.–Sri Lanka relations and Washington’s foreign policy objectives toward South Asia. His analytical reports and insights, highly valued by the State Department, explored complex themes of national security, inter-ethnic relations, governance, and political development in Sri Lanka.

In recognition of his exceptional professionalism and analytical acumen, the U.S. Department of State awarded Gamage the Meritorious Honor Award in February 1988, citing his “high degree of professionalism” and invaluable contribution to the Political Section and to the Department in Washington.

After moving to the United States in 1994, Gamage continued to serve as an influential voice on South Asian affairs, maintaining engagement with U.S. lawmakers, policy advisors, and Sri Lankan diaspora networks. From 2005 to 2021, he served as the Head of the U.S. News Bureau of the Sweden-based Asian Tribune, where his analyses on U.S.–Sri Lanka relations, regional security, and India’s growing strategic footprint were featured in international outlets.

In 2016, Gamage authored the widely discussed book Tamil Tigers’ Debt to America: U.S. Foreign Policy Adventurism and Sri Lanka’s Dilemma, a critical study of the intersections between U.S. foreign policy and Sri Lanka’s internal conflict dynamics.

Educated at Trinity College, Kandy, and the University of Ceylon, where he studied Economics and European Political History, Gamage later obtained a Bachelor of Law from the University of Colombo.

“We are honored to welcome Daya Gamage to the South Asia Foresight Network,” said Asanga Abeyagoonasekera, Executive Director of SAFN. “His extensive experience in U.S.–Sri Lanka relations and deep understanding of South Asia’s political evolution will significantly enrich our research and foresight initiatives. His insights bridge diplomacy, analysis, and history—precisely the kind of perspective needed in today’s complex geopolitical environment.”

The South Asia Foresight Network (SAFN) is among the fastest-growing South Asia–ASEAN–focused research platforms in Washington, D.C. SAFN advances regional foresight, governance, economic resilience, and security through collaborative research and strategic dialogue.

For more information, please visit www.southasiaforesight.net.