Friday, 17 October 2014 00:00
-
- {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Sri Lanka Economic Association (SLEA) and the Indraratna Felicitation Committee have jointly organised an event to honour Prof. A.D.V de S. Indraratna, “the doyen of teachers of economics in Sri Lanka today”.
The event marks Prof. Indraratna’s contribution of 10 consecutive years as President of the SLEA and launch of ‘Policy Issues for Sustained Development of Sri Lanka’ published by Professor Indraratna along with his immense contribution to popularise economics as a subject and to promote a dialogue on economic policy issues in Sri Lanka.
Being a founder member of the Sri Lanka Economic Association, Professor Indraratna together with Dr. Gamani Corea, Dr. Jayantha Kelegama, Dr. H.N.S. Karunatilake, Prof. Buddhadasa Hewavithara and few other senior economists formed the Sri Lanka Economic Association in 1985. Having served as the first Secretary and in several other various capacities Professor Indraratna was elected the President of the Association in 2003. He has held the position for more than ten consecutive years to date.
His yeoman services rendered to the Association includes but not limited to bringing out conference volumes, journals, promoting economic policy discussions over the years. He got the Association registered under an Act of Parliament and initiated action to build its own head office. He has also widened the scope of activities of the Association including a new website (slea.lk), for the Association to function more efficiently and serve the members and the public more effectively.
Prof. Indraratna has the unique distinction of teaching more than 20,000 university students during his career. His contribution to teaching of economics, in particular, teaching the subject in Sinhala, has been well documented in a previous Felicitation Volume brought out in 1994. His book on ‘Mila Niyaya’ (Price Theory) is a popular book among students of economics at the University level. He was made the Chairman of the Price Commission in the 1970s and the Fair Trading Commission in the 2000s. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka and an Emeritus Professor of the University of Colombo.
The event will be graced by Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa, as the Chief Guest. The felicitation ceremony will take place at the Sri Lanka Foundation on Friday 17 October at 5 p.m.
A special item of the event will be the launching of Professor Indraratna’s latest addition to his publications ‘Policy Issues for Sustained Development of Sri Lanka’. The book contains the presidential addresses delivered by Professor Indraratna at the Annual Sessions of the SLEA during the past 10 years.
Minister of National Heritage Dr. Jagath Balasooriya, former Member of Parliament and Minister Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku, Immediate Past President of the SLEA Dr. Saman Kelegama and Prof. Indraratna will speak at the event.
