Background
Palva, Heikki Väinö Kaleva was born on May 5, 1935 in Porvoo, Finland. Son of Lauri Ilmari and Aili Elisabet (Tyni) Palva.
Palva, Heikki Väinö Kaleva was born on May 5, 1935 in Porvoo, Finland. Son of Lauri Ilmari and Aili Elisabet (Tyni) Palva.
Master of Arts, University Helsinki, Finland, 1959. Licentiate of Philosophy, University Helsinki, 1961. Doctor of Philosophy, University Helsinki, 1966.
Assistant University Helsinki, 1965-1969. Junior researcher State Commission for Humanities, Finland, 1969-1970. Professor Arabic University Gothenburg, Sweden, 1970-1982, head department Arabic, 1970-1982.
Professor Arabic University Helsinki, 1982-1998, head department Asian and African studies, 1983-1994, professor emeritus, since 1999.
Member Finnish Oriental Society (president 1983-1994), Royal Society Letters and Sciences (foreign member Gothenburg chapter), Finnish Academy of Sciences and Letters (editor-in-chief since 1993).
Married Leena Maria Holma, June 5, 1965. Children: Maija, Henrikki, Jussi.