for those who don't know sonali deraniyagala studied economics at both the universities of cambridge & oxford & holds a doctorate from the latter & has been part of university faculties.
in december 2004 she came down to sri lanka with her husband & 2 young sons. she lost them.. https://twitter.com/smijuoh/status/1259962755752353798
in december 2004 she came down to sri lanka with her husband & 2 young sons. she lost them.. https://twitter.com/smijuoh/status/1259962755752353798
..and her parents to the boxing day tsunami. she was the only surviving member from her family who went on the trip where they were hit. as a way to deal with her trauma she wrote the book "wave"
she got married again, after 14 year, & to fiona shaw who'd read her book..
she got married again, after 14 year, & to fiona shaw who'd read her book..
..years ago, when i first got to know about dr. deraniyagala through her book, i could n e v e r imagine what she must have gone through. she was someone who has my utter respect & admiration for her strength & every quality she showed through this tragedy. and apart from that..
..for the academic she is. sri lanka should be proud of producing the scholar that she is. but also when i got to know after all this time she had gotten married my heart just was soaring. because she had found love again & it brought true joy to me. but not just that..
..she got married to a woman. so yes she was an example of a woman who was once married to a man & then a woman :") 
but being a sri lankan, she became even more of a hero to me. she'd done THAT. a true sri lankan queer icon & she's one of the most stellar human beings i know..

but being a sri lankan, she became even more of a hero to me. she'd done THAT. a true sri lankan queer icon & she's one of the most stellar human beings i know..
...i know most people now know her as fiona shaw's wife, but please know she is so much more than just that. this^ is all what she has done despite all that she went through she came out of it breathing & has achieved so much. after all those years she's shown you can find love..
..& that you don't fall in love with a gender but with a person & no matter how old you are you can discover your sexuality. she is in my eyes one of the best fucking sri lankans ever & i am proud to be able to put myself in that same area as her...
..i hope this thread let's more people know who she is & not just the wife of an actress. i don't think anyone would want to be just known because of their spouse. she's a human in her own right & an extraordinary one
i hope this tweet gets recognition so people know her..
i hope this tweet gets recognition so people know her..
...she is dr. sonali deraniyagala, a survivor, a professor, a scholar, an author, a mother, a wife
ending this thread with a favorite picture of her & her wife on the shores of our country, sri lanka
ending this thread with a favorite picture of her & her wife on the shores of our country, sri lanka

if anyone wants, here is a free worldwide shipping link to buy her memoir ♡
https://www.bookdepository.com/Wave-Sonali-Deraniyagala/9781844089079
https://www.bookdepository.com/Wave-Sonali-Deraniyagala/9781844089079
found these 2 links of clips of her talking about the book: