How did Tamil and Sinhalese peoples influence the early population of the Maldives?

The Maldivian ethnic group is the result of successive waves of migration throughout the country's history. It is widely believed that the first settlers of the Maldives were Tamil and Sinhalese peoples who arrived from southern India and Sri Lanka.1

These early populations established the foundation for the modern Maldivian people, who were later influenced by traders from various regions, including Arab countries, Indonesia, China, and Madagascar.1