PAST PRESIDENTS
MR. PRABATH SAMINDRA WICKRAMARATNE
2019 – 2020
Prabath Samindra Wickramaratne is the immediate part president
of CSSL and held the position from 2019 to 2020.
He is the Vice President – Head of Operations / Head of IT at
Deutsche Bank Sri Lanaka operations.
DR. YASAS V. ABEYWICKRAMA
2017 – 2018
Yasas Vishuddhi Abeywickrama was the President of CSSL from
November 2016 to December 2018, for two years.
As CSSL President, Yasas gave leadership to many historic
milestones including organizing Sri Lanka’s Biggest Ever
International ICT Event around IFIP General Assembly that was
held in Sri Lanka in 2017, launching of Code of Ethics and Code
of Conduct for Sri Lankan IT professionals and induction of Sri
Lanka into Seoul Accord by uplifting CSSL degree Accreditation
processes to global standards.
CSSL Tech Talks and Little Drops of Water are CSSL brand
properties initiated during Yasas’ Presidency. During this time,
the CSSL recruited over 2000 IT students as student members,
increased member engagement and the organisation became an
active and vocal vibrant outfit. Strong international
relationships and broad local relevance was the hallmark of his
leadership for CSSL.
He is a long long standing active member of CSSL, and was a
Council Member, Publications Secretary, Secretary and Vice
President before becoming the President.
DR. C.D. RAJAPAKSE
2015 - 2016
Dr. Dayan Rajapakse is the founder of ESOFT Computer Studies
(Pvt) Ltd and now he is the Chairman and Managing Director of
the ESOFT Group. After completing the BCS professional
examination in 1993 he started his it career as a part time
lecturer and became a sought after lecturer for BCS and ACS
professional examinations. Later he graduated from the Colombo
University with MBBS but gave up his medical career to continue
his passion towards IT and the training industry. He has been
instrumental in uplifting the standard of IT in Sri Lanka by
taking IT training to the rural areas of Sri Lanka via the
expansion of ESOFT resulting in new branches being established
around the country including the North and the East.
He served in the executive council of CSSL in the capacity of
Council Member / Student Counselor and Secretary. While he was
the student Counselor he started the IT Mastermind inter-school
IT quiz competition with the view to uplift the standard and
popularity of ICT among the school children.
MR. AJITH SALGADO
2014-2015
Mr. Ajith Salgado is the Head of IT at Sampath Bank. With over
17 years ICT experience in the banking and finance sectors, he
has a BSc. in Engineering in Electronics and Telecommunications
from the University of Moratuwa and Master of Business
Administration from the University of Colombo.
MR. MAHESH PERERA
2012 – 2013
Mr. Mahesh Perera counts over 18 years of experience in both
public and private sector ICT organisations in Sri Lanka. He
holds a Masters Degree in Computer Engineering from the State
University, former USSR and an MBA in Human Resource Management
from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Mr. Perera is
presently the Director, Information Systems and Management at
the Parliament of Sri Lanka prior to which, he served the Sri
Lanka Army and Informatics (Pvt) Ltd. An incumbent President, he
has been a committed member serving the Executive Council since
2008. Mr. Perera is a firm believer of ICT and HR convergence
towards organisational progression.
MR. J. M. CHRISANTHA SILVA
2009 – 2011
A veteran in the field of Information Technology with more than
30 years experience in the areas of software development, IT
Project Management, IT Consultancy and IT Management, Mr.
Chrisantha Silva has served in CSSL in the capacities of Student
Counsellor, Publications Secretary, Vice President and Council
Member in previous years. He has also served in the Council of
British Computer Society, Sri Lanka Section.
He is currently employed at SriLankan Airlines, the National
carrier of Sri Lanka. Mr. Silva has published papers in IT
magazines and presented papers at several National and
International IT conferences. Mr. Silva is a BSc. Graduate from
the University of Sri Lanka, has a Post Graduate Diploma in
Management from the Open University of Sri Lanka and obtained
his professional qualifications in IT from the British Computer
Society. He is a Chartered Member (CITP) of the British Computer
Society.
DR. PRASANNA LOKUGE
2008
Dr. Lokuge has over 24 years of ICT experience in high growth
public and private sector organisations both in Sri Lanka and
abroad. He obtained his PhD from Monash University, Australia in
Artificial Intelligent Agents.
Dr. Lokuge’s experience in a few key positions includes:
Consultant/CIO, Terminal Link, Malaysia and France, Director of
the MIS Department (Sri Lanka Ports Authority), Director (IDM
Software International) and MIS Consultant for World Bank and
Asian Development Bank funded projects. He has also worked as a
Lecturer at Monash University and Central Queensland University,
Australia and a visiting lecturer at the Faculty of IT,
University of Moratuwa.
He is a chartered member of the BCS
and holds the membership of ACS and the CSSL. Dr. Lokuge is also
a member of the Project Management Institute USA and a
professional Project Manager (PMP) and is currently the CEO at
ESOFT International Education Pvt ltd. He also works as a
Consultant (IT & Automation), CMA-CGM, Hong Kong and Asian
Development Bank (ADB).
MR. DINESH C. A. SATTRUKALSINGHE
2006 – 2007
Mr, Dinesh Conrad Alexius Sattrukalsinghe is a well accomplished
professional with over two and a half decades of Corporate
Management experience. During his engagements Mr Sattrukalsinghe
has been involved in business process reengineering and
optimisation so as to ensure the streamlining of processes and
service delivery. His engagements span across Informatics (Pvt)
Limited, IBM World Trade Corporation, Virtusa Corporation,
Dialog Telekom PLC, Techsys (Pvt) Ltd as Director/CEO,
Industrial Technology Institute (CISIR) as Additional Director
and the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission as Director/CEO.
Mr. Sattrukalsinghe has been a long standing member of the CSSL,
starting off as a student member contributing towards IT thought
leadership in its IT Exchange. Thereon he graduated to serve in
very many Executive Council posts spanning a couple of terms as
its Hon. Secretary designate also chairing many sub-committees
and ACS and SEARCC Roundtables which were of great National
importance. In 2005 he was inducted as its President designate
in 2006 wherein he presented avision for CSSL, which was a hall
mark and game changer in the annuals of CSSL, which gained the
conviction, acceptance and championing power of the wider
membership.
MR. P. LIONEL PERERA
2004 – 2005
Mr. Lional Perera obtained a diploma in Mechanical Engineering
in 1967 from the University of Moratuwa. He has a diploma in
Textile Technology from the University of Bombay, a Postgraduate
Diploma in Business Management from the Institute of Business
Management and a MBA from the University of Colombo. He is
currently reading for his PhD. at the University of Colombo.
He has been a long standing member of the Computer Society of
Sri Lanka (CSSL) and served council in various capacities,
starting as the Secretary from 1995 to 1996. During this time,
he has served in a number of committees of CSSL and contributed
to the development of the society. He has also held the
Presidency in the Association of Computer Training
Organisations, Directorship of SLICTA and the Vice Presidency in
the South East Asia Regional Computer Confederation (SEARCC).
He is a Chartered Member of the British Computer Society (CITP),
an Associate Member of the Cost and Management Accountants
(ACMA), Member of the Institute of Data Processing Management
(MIDPM), Member of the Institution of Analysts and Programmers
UK (MIAP) and an Associate Member of the Australian Institute of
Management (AIMM). He started his career as a Textile
Technologist and was the Weaving Manager at Wellawatte Spinning
and Weaving Mills after which he worked as the Production
Manager at Anglo Asian Group of Companies.
Mr. Perera joined IDM as a Business Analyst in 1984 and served
as the Director / General Manager from 1986 to 1989 of IDM
Software International (Pvt) Ltd. At present he is the Director
of Studies of IDM Computer Studies (Pvt) Ltd and is involved in
planning and designing new courses, preparation of lecture
materials, lectures guides, question papers and training of
trainers that involved overall management of professional,
vocational and degree division of IDM.
MR. L. M. C. WEERASINGHE
2003
MR. K. V. N. DE SILVA
2001 – 2002
An old boy of Trinity College, Kandy Mr. de Silva is the
Director and CEO of Metropolitan Computers. An engineer by
profession he holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Engineering from UK,
a MBA from the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) from
the University of Sri Jayawardenepura.
Mr. de Silva is also the recipient of “The Achievers Award “
from PIM, for his outstanding contribution to the profession,
business and society. He has also been appointed President of
CSSL, the Sri Lanka Computer Vendors Association and the Colombo
Toastmasters Club.
A member of the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors, he is also a
Member of the Australian Computer Society and Member Institution
of Engineering Technology UK. Mr. de Silva has served in many
Information technology forums in the country and has been an
Executive Council member of CINTEC, a Governing Council member
of the Asian ICT Confederation and an Executive Council member
of the South East Asia Regional Computer Confederation.
Mr. de Silva has conducted many communications and leadership
development programmes for business executives, youth and was a
visiting lecturer for Business Communication at the Bandaranaike
Centre for International Studies (BCIS) and a regular guest
speaker at career development seminars in the Universities of
Moratuwa, Colombo and Kelaniya, Sri Lanka Institute of
Information Technology and many more.
MR. T. L. CHANDRANATH
1999 – 2001
MR. Y. R. KARUNARATNE
1991 - 1999
Mr. Yasa Karunaratne graduated from the University of Ceylon
with a BSc. Honours in 1967. and in 1979 was awarded a United
Nations Fellowship and obtained his Masters in Computer Science
from Colorado State University.
In 1969 he joined the State
Engineering Corporation where he started his illustrious career
in Information Technology. In 1970 Mr Karunaratne joined the
Department of Census and Statistics where he was fully
responsible for architecting the 1971 Census of Population. He
served as the Head of IT Department in Ceylon Petroleum
Corporation and Head of IT Department in ETF Board.
He currently serves as the Secretary General of South East Asia
Regional Computer Confederation (SEARCC). He has played a vital
role in organising international conferences in Kuala Lumpur,
Sydney, Chennai, Brisbane and Mumbai. He was an Information
Specialist for the US Department of Agriculture and a National
Consultant to the United Nations. He revolutionised the
Computerised Utility Billing in Sri Lanka in 1987, which has
been adopted by the leading utility providers in the country. He
was also a Council Member of the Computer Information and
Technology Council of Sri Lanka (CINTEC).
Mr. Karunaratne was
a founder member of CSSL and was awarded the Honorary Fellowship
of CSSL in 2001. He introduced the National Schools Software
Competition to Sri Lanka in 1990 and enabled Sri Lankan school
children to participate in International competitions.
One of the prestigious moments of his presidency in CSSL was the
hosting of the Sri Lanka’s first International IT Conference –
SEARCC’95. As the first Sri Lankan President, Mr. Karunaratne’s
leadership as the Chairman of the SEARCC’95 Organising Committee
that enabled to enhance Sri Lanka’s image internationally.
He
has represented the Computer Profession in the Organisation of
Professional Associations since 1989 and was its Vice President
on two occasions. He was the Chairman of Sri Lanka Information
and Communication Technology Association (SLICTA) from 2003-2005
which was considered the voice of the ICT industry in Sri Lanka.
DR. R. B. EKANAYAKE
1976/77 –
1981-1991
Late Dr. R B Ekanayake was a pioneer in the deployment of
Information Technology in the banking sector for over 30 years.
He was involved with the industry for over 45 years, beginning
his career at the State Engineering Corporation, deploying the
first mainframe computer in Sri Lanka. He is also responsible
for driving IT deployment in that sector by heading the IT
divisions of Bank Ceylon, Sampath Bank and Commercial Bank. He
was the founder Chairman of Lanka Clear Ltd, the company
established jointly by the Central and Commercial Banks.
He was a member of Sri Lanka Interbank payment system from its
inception. For his long standing contributions in the field of
Information Technology, the Sri Lanka ICT Association (SLICTA)
presented him with the “Lifetime Achievement Award” making him
the first and only person to be given this award.
Late Dr. Ekanayake had a BSc from the University of Ceylon and a
MA in Operations Research from the University of Lancaster, UK.
He was recently awarded a PhD (Honoris Causa) for pioneering
work on Information Technology, by the University of Kelaniya.
He became the first Sri Lankan to become a Member of the British
Computer Society and was the founder President of CSSL and for
10 years and the First Honorary Fellow. He was a Council Member
and one time President of Association of Professional Bankers of
Sri Lanka and was presented with the “Most Outstanding
Contribution to the Banking Sector”. In the IT Policy
development area, late Dr Ekanayake was a member of the
Presidential Committee which draft the first National Computer
Policy for Sri Lanka in 1983 and was a founder Council member of
CINTEC in 1984.
He was a Board Director of the ICT Agency of
Sri Lanka (ICTA), the successor to CINTEC and is a Council
Member of the University of Kelaniya. He was the Chairman of LK
Domain Registry, Chairman SL CERT and advised many government
and banking sector institutions. He visited the faculty at the
Universities of Colombo,