Sri Lanka Inventors Commission to celebrate 3rd National Inventors’ Day tomorrow

When a country marches forward from the middle income status to the higher income status, it is the responsibility of that country to provide all required facilities and the necessary encouragement for the new inventors to help them in the creation of their inventions and innovations. 

Therefore, President Maithripala Sirisena declared 26 October, which falls on the birthday of Deshabandu Dr. A.N.S. Kulasinghe, as 'National Inventors' Day', with a view to awarding due recognition to the new inventors of Sri Lanka, providing encouragement for them and bringing them together. 

Deshabandu Dr. Kulasinghe is a father of Sri Lankan engineering, an eminent civil engineer who served the motherland with numerous inventions, and the first Commissioner of the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission. This initiative will result in a better tomorrow for the inventors. The first Inventors’ Day was celebrated on 26 October 2016 at Nelum Pokuna.

The second national celebration was celebrated at the BMICH on 26 October 2017.

The third Inventors’ Day will be held at the BMICH Main Hall on 26 October with the patronage of President Sirisena and Minister of Science, Technology, Research, Skill Development and Vocational Training, and Kandyan Heritage Dr. Sarath Amunugama, State Minister of Science, Technology, Research, Skill Development and Vocational Training, and Kandyan Heritage Lakshman Senevirathna, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology, Research, Skill Development and Vocational Training and Kandyan Heritage Karunaratne Paranavithana, Sri Lanka Inventors Commission Commissioner Dr. Mahesh Edirisinghe, and distinguished guests.

Objectives of National 

Inventors’ Day

• To take initiatives to evaluate inventors and direct the country towards an innovative economy by encouraging them to invent
• To obtain opportunities for the Commission to network with inventors and for inventors to networked with fellow inventors
• To acquire attention for inventors while providing required investment opportunities and market opportunities for them to perform better by declaring a National Inventors’ Day
• To enable the Commission to implement programs in a more efficient manner by arranging all annual award ceremonies parallel to the proposed National Inventors’ Day
• To give priority to Sri Lankan inventors to develop the economy through innovativeness

Activities in brief 

at the celebrations in last two years

Issuing a commemorative postage stamp in honour of Deshabandu Dr. A. N. S. Kulasinghe, the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission issued a commemorative postage stamp on 26 October in appreciation of the extraordinary service of Deshabandu Dr. A.N.S. Kulasinghe, the first Commissioner of the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission.  

Issuing identity cards for Sri Lankan inventors with a view to encouraging and recognising Sri Lankan inventors, the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission (SLIC) has decided to issue identity cards for inventors. As per Cabinet Decision No 16/1390/716/029 of 26.07.2016 approval has been granted for the concept. 

This is the very first time in any country that the Government is issuing an ID card to recognise its inventors. As an implementing agency, the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission issued the first identity card at the first celebration ceremony of National Inventors’ Day by President Sirisena.

Sri Lankan inventors with a patent(s) or who are on pending patent(s) status or those who have obtained IP protection as a PCT coverage under World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) are eligible to receive this unique ID card. 

Sri Lankan inventors who win an award at ‘Sahasak Nimavum’ National Inventions and Innovations Exhibition organised by the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission are also eligible for the ID card. It is important to mention that Sri Lankan inventors are proudly utilising this ID card for their various day-to-day activities and they are getting the due recognition by the society too. 

The awards ceremony of Sahasak Nimavum: Sahasak Nimavum 2016/2017, National Exhibitions for Inventions and Innovations was successfully held in September 2016 and 2017 at Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre. Over 750 number of inventions were displayed for both years under 14 different fields representing the categories of Open, University and Tertiary Educational Institute, School and Commercialised. Awards ceremony for the winners of Sahasak Nimavum took place on 26th October at the same event. In 2018 Sahasak Nimavum took place in September by launching over 335 number of inventions inventors by Sri Lankan inventors. 

Launching of incubation centres: The Sri Lanka Inventors Commission launched the concept of incubation centres with two incubation centres in University of Jaffna and National Engineering Research and Development Centre by expanding its services all over the country at the celebration of the second Inventors’ Day. 

Launching of Innovation Accelerator Funding Mechanism for Sri Lanka: As proposed in the Budget Speech 2016, the Ministry has set up an Innovation Accelerator Funding Mechanism for Sri Lanka (IAFM-SL) which will be managed and implemented by the Sri Lankan Inventors Commission (SLIC) was launched at the second celebration of the Inventors Day. The primary objective of the project for supporting Sri Lankan inventors to bring their ideas into the market and supporting Sri Lankan researchers to convert their research into rupees.

Thus, every investment that is made through the IAFM-Sri Lanka is expected to boost Sri Lanka’s economy through commercial success while ensuring the sustainability of target sectors with clear deliverables directed towards three pillars of Sustainability; Economic Development, Social Justice and the Environment Quality.

Third celebration in 2018

Third celebration of Inventors’ Day will be held at the BMICH on 26 October. Sahasak Nimawum 2018 awards ceremony, Presidential Awards for Inventors, keynote speeches, awarding special grants for inventors and several memorable activities will take place on the same day which will be attended by President Maithripala Sirisena.