Sri Lanka President recognizes outstanding researchers

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa recognized the contributions made by academic staff of Sri Lankan universities in the field of research, innovation and invention at the awards presentation of Committee of Vice Chancellors and Director of Sri Lanka (CVCD) Excellence Awards-2010 held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday.

President Rajapaksa presented awards to six outstanding faculty members of Sri Lankan universities for their accomplishments in the fields of Health Science, Technology, Biological sciences, Physical Sciences, and Humanities and Social Sciences.

Senior Lecturer of University of Ruhuna Nuclear Medicine Unit Dr. Manjula Deshapriya Hettiarachchi received the award for the Most Outstanding Young Researcher for Health Sciences while Prof. S.A.M Kularatne, from Department of Medicine, University of Peradeniya was awarded with Most Outstanding Researcher in the same field.

Most Outstanding Researcher awards went to Professor N. T. Sohan Wijesekara of Department of Civil Engineering at Moratuwa University for Technology and Related Sciences, Prof. M. J. S. Wijeratne of Department of Zoology at Kelaniya University for Biological Sciences, Prof. M.A.K.L. Dissanayake of Department of Physics at Peradeniya University and Prof. Mahinda Wijeratne of Department of Agric Economics at Ruhuna University for Humanities and Social Sciences.

Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake, CVCD Chairman and Kelaniya University Vice Chancellor Prof. Sarath Amunugama and University Grants Commission Chairman Prof. Gamini Samaranayake were present at the ceremony.


The awardees are pictured here with the President.
From Left: Prof. Mahinda Wijeratne, Prof. N.T. Sohan Wijesekara, Dr. Manjula Deshapriya Hettiarachchi, the President, Prof. S.A.M Kularatne, Prof. M.J.S Wijeratne and Prof. M.A.K.L. Dissanayake

(Photos by Chandana Perera)