Sri Lankan students shine at Asia Pacific ICT Alliance 2024 in Brunei

FITIS Team at APICTA

Young inventors at the awards ceremony

Sri Lanka’s young innovators achieved a remarkable milestone at the prestigious Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards (APICTA) 2024, held in Brunei from 4 to 7 December.

Competing against representatives from 17 Asia-Pacific countries, three Sri Lankan students stood out for their exceptional creativity and technological ingenuity, securing significant accolades and bringing pride to the nation.

Dasindu Sithmira Mahabodhi of Sivali Central College, Rathnapura, won second place in the Junior Category, a feat that highlights his innovative prowess and dedication. Meanwhile, Sineth Daham Bandara Jayasundera from Gateway College, Colombo, and Ramiru Thehan Wijayasiriwardhane of Ananda College Colombo, earned merit awards in the Senior Category, demonstrating their exceptional talent and technical capabilities. Thisath Damiru Abeywickrama of St. Joseph’s College Anuradhapura too, participated at this competition.

The Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards (APICTA) is one of the most respected ICT competitions in the Asia-Pacific region. Established to foster collaboration and elevate the standards of technological development across member countries, APICTA provides a platform for students, professionals, and organisations to showcase their innovative ICT-based solutions. The 2024 edition of APICTA attracted top innovators from 17 economies, including Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and China, making the competition highly intense. Despite the challenging environment, Sri Lanka’s young talents made a significant impact, proving the country’s growing strength in ICT innovation.

The students’ journey to APICTA began with the Young Computer Scientist (YCS) 2024 Competition, a program organised by the Software Chapter of Federation of Information Technology (Guarantee) Ltd. (FITIS) in collaboration with the Education Ministry and with the support of University of Colombo School of Computing.

The YCS competition serves as a national platform to recognise and nurture ICT talent among school students. It encourages participants to identify real-world problems and develop practical, innovative solutions using technology. The program emphasises not only technical skills but also creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving capabilities. The success of these students at APICTA underscores the effectiveness of this initiative in creating a pipeline of globally competitive innovators.

FITIS, as the apex body representing Sri Lanka’s ICT industry, has played a pivotal role in driving such programs. The organisation is committed to bridging the gap between education and industry by fostering ICT literacy and empowering the youth to excel in the digital economy.

Software Chapter President Sanjaya Dayananda and Vice President Kalinga Ihalagedara attended APICTA 2024 with the students and commented on the high quality of this competition where “our students had to compete against teams from technologically highly developed countries.” 

Whilst congratulating the winners, FITIS Chairman Indika De Zoysa reaffirmed the association’s commitment to YCS program and highlighted the requirement of young innovators to develop country’s digital economy. FITIS Senior Vice Chairman Dr. Dayan Rajapakse also congratulated the students for their achievements. 

A leading ICT Education Institute ESOFT Metro Campus where Dr. Dayan is the Chairman/Managing Director, recently joined hands with FITIS, extending its support as the sponsor for the “Title Partner” for YCS competition.

Each student brought forward unique and impactful projects that addressed real-world challenges:

nDasindu Sithmira Mahabodhi: His award-winning project in the Junior Category utilised advanced technologies to optimise the utilisation of computer resources, when a role-playing computer game which allows users with low specs hardware and low bandwidth connectivity to experience full features of the game.

nSineth Daham Bandara Jayasundera: In the Senior Category, Sineth’s project is focused on providing a solution to eliminate the wastage in electrical power consumption, using neural networks. The solution has capability to identify excessive use of electrical current by household devices enabling the owner to switch-off the device or replace it.

nRamiru Thehan Wijayasiriwardhane: Ramiru’s project provides a solution to the common problem of watering home plots and school gardens without wasting the precious water. His innovative solution uses IoT technology for automatic watering based on predictive localised weather data. The system checks the soil moisture level and releases water based on predetermined moisture levels after taking into account the weather information. 

The achievements of these students not only highlight their individual talents but also mark a significant milestone for Sri Lanka’s ICT landscape. Their success serves as an inspiration for thousands of young Sri Lankans aspiring to make their mark in the tech industry. These victories also underscore the importance of investing in ICT education and providing platforms for young innovators to excel. As Sri Lanka continues to strengthen its initiatives like YCS and expand access to technology-driven education, the nation is poised to produce even more trailblazers in the global ICT arena.

The achievement of these students in APICTA 2024 is a testament to the immense potential of Sri Lanka’s youth and a celebration of the country’s commitment to fostering innovation. With the right support and opportunities, Sri Lanka is set to shine even brighter on the global stage.