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Ir. Dr. Dennis Ganendra elected to Fellowship of prestigious British Royal Academy of Engineering
The British Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) has awarded the prestigious RAE International Fellowship to Ir. Dr. Dennis Ganendra, who is of Sri Lankan descent. This Fellowship is the highest honour bestowed by the RAE and recognises Ganendra’s exceptional contributions to Engineering, including his commitment to and continuing high deliverables in innovation, infra-structure, policy and academic advancement.
He is the only Asian among the group of eight international fellows appointed this year. He is also a Fellow of the: Institution of Civil Engineers, UK; Institution of Engineers (IEM), Malaysia; Institution of Highways and Transportation; Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM); and a Climate Action Fellow of the UN Global Compact – Network Malaysia.
Ganendra’s mantra is ‘good business doing good,’ which he has developed to encompass both advisory and investment initiatives as well as influencing built environment. As a prominent example, he advised on the development and delivery of the first green building (platinum rating GBI ) Vatican Enunciature in the world, a news release in connection with the award said.
Dr. Ganendra has interfaced actively in Sri Lanka for decades, including through marriage to Sri Lankan born cultural entrepreneur and lawyer, Shalini Amerasinghe. He set up an Engineering Scholarship at Royal College in memory of his father, Ponnusamy Ganendra, who was also an outstanding alumnist. The scholarship, managed by the Royal College Trust covers local tertiary education for deserving engineering/science scholars. Committed to development at all levels, his family has also sponsored the building of numerous large wells to provide much needed potable water to communities, primarily in the North and Eastern districts.
He is the Chief Executive Officer of Minconsult Sdn Bhd, a leading international engineering presence, headquartered in Malaysia. (www.minconsult.com). With over 30 years of multi-disciplinary engineering project experience, his portfolio includes numerous award winning local and international projects. His visionary execution and nation building initiatives continue to shape the industry, benefitting societies through transformative change. He is also the Founder of pioneering renewable energy contractor, Timeless Green Sdn Bhd. (www.timelessgreen.com.my)
He joins the luminary group of international fellows that includes: Steven Chu FREng, Nobel Prize in Physics, Stanford University; John Hennessy FREng, ex-President of Stanford University; Pioneer of RISC; Frances Arnold FREng, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Caltech.
The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) is UK-based and created by Royal Charter. The RAE is dedicated to promoting engineering excellence and advancing the engineering profession. Its charter provides that: “The object of the Academy shall be the pursuit, encouragement and maintenance of excellence in the whole field of engineering to useful purpose in order to promote the advancement of the science, art and practice of engineering for the benefit of the public and economy”.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
