Dr. Ajantha Atukorale re-elected as CSSL President for 2024

CSSL Executive Council for 2024 elected at the 35th AGM on 17 January at Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo  

The Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL) announces the reelection of Dr. Ajantha Atukorale as its President for year 2024. The decision was made at the 35th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on 17 January, 2024, at the Shangri-La Hotel Colombo. Along with this, the new executive council for year 2024 was also appointed.

Dr. Ajantha Atukorale, currently serving at the Colombo University School of Computing (UCSC),Director brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role as President. Having received his B.Sc. Honours Degree with first class in Computer Science from the Colombo University in 1995 and obtaining his Ph.D. degree in Neural Pattern Recognition from the University of Queensland, Australia, in 2002, Dr. Atukorale is a highly respected figure in the Sri Lankan IT community, with a distinguished career in academia and society.

He is a member of the CSSL from 2006 and has served on the CSSL Executive Council since 2013. Dr. Atukorale has played a pivotal role in various projects of the CSSL such as the Seoul Accord Degree Accreditation Program, CSSL Awards, NSSC, NITC and CSSL Research Colloquium. He also represents CSSL at the Standing Committee on Computing and the Standing Committee on Technology of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The new executive council appointed at the AGM consists of a distinguished group of IT professionals with a wealth of experience from industry and academia. The elected executive council members of the CSSL for year 2024 are: President: Dr. Ajantha S. Atukorale (Director, UCSC), Vice President:  Heshan Karunarathne (CEO, SPIL Software), Secretary: Dr. Amal Illesinghe (CIO, NSB), Treasurer:  Indika De Zoysa (Strategic Adviser and Vice President, Huawei Technologies Lanka), Assistant Secretary:  Udesh I W Seneviratna (Additional DG, ITMD, General Treasury), Assistant Treasurer:  Rasantha Hettithanthrige (CTO, SLT-Mobitel Ltd), Publication Secretary: Dr.  Nirosha Wedasinghe (Senior Lecturer, KDU), Student Counsellor: Dr. Manjusri Wickramasinghe (Senior Lecturer, UCSC), Council Member: Dr. Shanta R Yapa (Director, SLIIT Innovate), Council Member:  Ruvendra Gunasena (Director Group IT and Processes, Hemas Holdings PLC), Council Member: . Chanaki Mallikarachchi (Director ICT, Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry), Council Member:  Lakmal Embuldeniya (Vice President, Global Professional Services, Tech One Global Ltd).

In his acceptance speech, Dr. Ajantha outlined his vision and planned actions for year 2024. He emphasised that the CSSL will continue its programs to develop professionalism in computing in Sri Lanka. 

Some of the key initiatives planned for 2024 include:

Tech talks and workshops: Providing opportunities for Computing professionals to learn about the latest trends and technologies.

Special Interest Groups (SIGs): Bringing together professionals with common interests to collaborate and share knowledge.

Expansion of GenZ Chapter activities: Engaging young people in the Computing sector and nurturing future generations of tech talent.

National Schools Software competition (NSSC): Encouraging innovation and creativity among school students.

National IT Conference (NITC): Providing a platform for Computing professionals to network and share their expertise.

Incorporating CSSL with Act of Parliament: This would give CSSL greater legal standing and enable it to play a more effective role in the development of the Computing sector in Sri Lanka.

Expressing gratitude, Dr. Ajantha extended his thanks to the outgoing Executive Council members, Damith Hettihewa, Commodore Janaka Gunaseela, Dr. Thilina Halloluwa, and Dr. Parakum Pathirana, presenting them with tokens of appreciation for their valuable contribution.

The re-election of Dr. Ajantha S. Athukorale and the appointment of the new executive council marks a new chapter for CSSL. With a clear vision and a strong team, the CSSL is well-positioned to play a leading role in the development of the Computing sector in Sri Lanka.