At the Vice Chancellor’s Awards Ceremony 2025, the official website of the Department of Industrial Management was recognized as the Department with the Best Website in the University.

This achievement reflects the collective effort and dedication of the web development team. The foundation and guidance for the website development were provided by former Web Masters Prof. Ruwan Wickramaarachchi and Mr. Dinesh Asanka. The development process was carried out as a team effort by four junior lecturers: Ms. Jayamini Kariyapperuma, Ms. Chamoda Paranawithana, Ms. Piyumi Nisansala, and Ms. Kasuni Jayamaha, along with content writers Ms. Tharuvi Nanayakkarawasam and Ms. Yudheera Karunaratne.

Within a short period of just two months, the junior members successfully completed the website and have continued to update it with well-structured and informative content. The website is designed in a way that enables external visitors to gain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the Department of Industrial Management.

The continued success and maintenance of the website are further supported by the guidance of the current Web Master, Ms. Sammani Hewage.

This award stands as a testament to teamwork, commitment, and excellence in digital presence within the university.

At the Vice Chancellor’s Awards Ceremony 2025, Dr. Chathumi Ayanthi Kavirathna was awarded 1st Place as the Most Outstanding Young Researcher of the University of Kelaniya. She is a senior academic specializing in transport, logistics, and sustainable engineering, with academic training from the University of Kelaniya and the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan, where she earned her Master’s and Doctor of Engineering degrees.

Dr. Kavirathna has extensive international research experience, including service at the University of Tokyo, and has made significant contributions to maritime transport, supply chain optimization, green logistics, and sustainability. She has published over 75 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers, received eight international best paper awards, and actively serves as an editor, reviewer, keynote speaker, and research collaborator in prestigious international projects.

Several members of the academic staff were recognized for their outstanding service and research achievements at the Vice Chancellor’s Awards Ceremony 2025.

• Award of a Silver-Plated Medal for 30 Years of Continuous and Meritorious Service
  Prof. A.P. Ruwan Wickramarachchi

• Outstanding Young Researchers – Merit Award
  Dr. Thilini Mahanama (in absentia)

• Outstanding Researchers – Merit Award
  Prof. Janaka Wijayanayake
  Dr. Chathura Rajapaksha
  Mr. Dinesh Asanka
  Ms. Chalani Oruthotaarachchi

These awards recognize the recipients’ dedication, academic excellence, and valuable contributions to research and service within the university.

The Department of Industrial Management is proud to congratulate our Level 2 undergraduates for securing the 1st Runner-Up position at the CRPTX 2.0 UI/UX Designthon, organized by the University of Sri Jayewardenepura!A hudge congratulations goes to the winning team: Charith Fonseka, Osanda Senevirathna and Thilini Bhagya for their hard work. The competition challenged participants to look at an existing application through a critical lens. Our students successfully identified core user pain points and friction, developed a robust UX strategy, and executed a comprehensive, principle-driven UI/UX redesign.

The team Triple I became finalists at the prestigious SLIoT Challenge 2026. They presented their project, EldReach — a privacy-first, non-wearable elderly monitoring and real-time fall detection system designed to ensure senior safety without compromising dignity or independence.Their solution was developed to address the growing challenge of elderly individuals being left unsupervised at home, combining innovative hardware and intelligent edge processing to create a seamless and privacy-focused monitoring experience . A huge appreciation goes to the team Bajithan Sivathasan, Sasivarnasarma Sarveswarasarma, Rajithan Pathmanathan and Paul Varshan for the dedication, innovation, teamwork.

We are thrilled to share that our team from the Department of Industrial Management was selected as one of the Top 10 Finalists out of 60+ innovative ideas at Hack Like a Girl 3.0, organized by SLASSCOM (Sri Lanka Association for Software and Services Companies) – Women Technopreneurs Forum.  The team members Yonali Kavindya,Tharuka Mudunna and Thasuni Induma under the invaluable mentorship, guidance, and encouragement of Miuli Kalubowila  during the final stage.

The The Department of Industrial Management is incredibly proud to celebrate our Level 3 students for securing Second Runner-Up at Pitch60 2026 , a high-impact one-minute business pitching competition hosted by the Entrepreneurship Club of APIIT Colombo.In a competition where every second demands clarity, strategy, and presence, our students proved that bold thinking and confident delivery can transform a minute into a milestone.Congratulations to our very own  Braynkanth Thaspan Antony Shuhail Shafeek and Seenujan Uthayanan.This achievement reflects the entrepreneurial spirit, resilience, and professional readiness we strive to nurture. We are immensely proud of you all.

The team, comprising Charith Fonseka of the Department of Industrial Management, Mithila Dhanundhara of the Department of Electronic and Computer Science, and Mevindu Basnayaka of the Department of Electronics & Computer Science, was awarded the 2nd Runners-Up title at the Business Spark 2026 Startup Competition for their innovative project, Neski – A Boarding Management System. The competition was organized by the Rotaract Club of the Faculty of Management & Finance, University of Colombo, and was generously funded by Middleway Ventures. 

The Department of Industrial Management proudly congratulates the success of our exceptional students, Tharindu Dhanushka and Charith Fonseka, who achieved 2nd Place at the highly competitive Agentic AI Hackathon 2025, organized by TechOne Global and held at the Microsoft Sri Lanka Premises. This demanding one-day hackathon tasked participants with a real-world, Sri Lankan context-based problem. The goal was to design and build an innovative agent solution using Microsoft Copilot Studio and cutting-edge Agentic AI principles. The team, operating under the name NeuralFlow, demonstrated remarkable skill, speed, and creativity. Their agentic solution stood out among the strong competition, securing them the impressive 2nd Place. This achievement is a testament to their technical expertise and ability to apply advanced AI concepts to solve complex, localized challenges.

The Department of Industrial Management proudly congratulates Team LUMORA: Aadila Anees, Binithi Sarithya, and Hiruni De Joedth (Level 01 students) who were awarded Second Runners-Up at Artemia 1.0, the inaugural competition organized by the IEEE WIE Affinity Group of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, focused on women’s safety and empowerment. Their innovative solution, LightSafe, is a location-aware mobile app designed to support women during unexpected menstrual emergencies by discreetly connecting them with nearby verified female users, promoting privacy, safety, and dignity through technology-driven community support. 

The Department of Industrial Management is thrilled to announce that Chamil Yahampath has been awarded 1st Runner-Up at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) Local Finals. After a rigorous pitch competition against some of the most innovative student minds in the country, Chamil’s vision and entrepreneurial spirit stood out to the judges. With this win, he has officially qualified for the South Asia Round taking place in India.

Proud to announce that a team of our students achieved the impressive milestone of becoming finalists at the prestigious Mobitel CodeBlast Hackathon Challenge 2025. The event was held on September 30th, 2025, at the Monarch Imperial in Colombo, as a key part of the National AI Expo & Conference 2025. Competing against over 100 teams from across Sri Lanka, our students demonstrated exceptional skill and innovation to secure a place among the top 14 finalists.

Team Sharks won First Runner-up at the TRINOVA 3-Minute Youth Innovation Competition, held during the CINEC Campus International Research Symposium (CIRS) and NEXORA 2025. Congratulations to Braynkanth Thaspan Antony, Bavikaran Yogeswaran, and Seenujan Uthayanan for their remarkable achievement. Adding to the pride, Team Invota secured 4th place. Well done Thiruchelvam Janagan, Lakshika Shankari, and Diron Louis for showcasing innovation and teamwork.

The Department of Industrial Management proudly congratulates Team DevMates: Yonali Kavindya, Akila Pilapitiya, Thasuni Induma, Tharuka Mudunna, and Buddhika Bandara, for securing 2nd Runners Up at the prestigious Code With WIE 2025 Hackathon, organized by IEEE WIE Sri Lanka. Their project, HerLife, is a transformative digital platform promoting breast cancer awareness and early detection, empowering Sri Lankan women through education and guided care. This outstanding achievement, among 100+ competing teams, reflects the team's innovation, dedication, and collaborative spirit. We celebrate this milestone as a testament to the visionary mindset nurtured within our department, and look forward to more impactful student-led innovations.

Team Sharks, comprising Level 2 undergraduates Braynkanth Thaspan Antony, Bavikaran Yogeswaran, and Seenujan Uthayanan, secured the 2nd Runner-up position in the Tech Enabled Category at the Yarl Geek Challenge Senior 2025, showcasing remarkable creativity, teamwork, and innovation on a national stage.

Team Future Titans, Shuhail Shafeek, Thiruchelvam Janagan, Braynkanth Thaspan Antony, and Bavikaran Yogeswaran,  received a Special Recognition Award at Hackforce 2025 for effectively leveraging Agentforce in their solution. Their project highlighted creativity, technical excellence, and teamwork, representing the Department of Industrial Management with distinction.

Award Issuer: Yarl Dreamin’ 25

Mentor: Mr. Pirashanth Sithamparanadesan

U.G.T.L. Weerathunge secured 2nd Runner-up at GSEA for Trekpin Camping & Adventures, a growing startup offering high-quality camping gear and outdoor experiences. His success highlighted the potential of student entrepreneurship.

Award Issuer: EO - Sri Lanka
Date: January 24, 2025

Team Tera Titans earned a finalist position and the Most Popular Innovation award at Hackventure 1.0. Their AI-powered platform, designed to connect startup founders with investors, was praised for fostering business innovation.

Award Issuer: AISEC University of Kelaniya
Date: August 24, 2024

Team Matriarchy reached the semi-finals of the Dialog Innovation Challenge with WasteLance, an ERP system optimizing operations in Sri Lanka’s waste management industry. Their innovation was nationally recognized and featured on TV.

Award Issuer: Dialog Axiata PLC
Date: August 24, 2024
Mentor: Mr. Dushantha Ranwala

Raduni De Abrew, a Level 04 undergraduate from the Department of Industrial Management, has been a member of the winning team in the Unilever Challenge 2024, a real-time marketing case study competition organized by Unilever Sri Lanka.our heartfelt congratulations to Raduni for her integral role in securing the national championship. Her exemplary performance has earned her the honor of representing Team Sri Lanka at the forthcoming global stage, the Unilever Future Leaders’ League, scheduled to be held in July at the Unilever Headquarters in London, United Kingdom. We believe that this will provide Raduni with a remarkable opportunity to showcase her skills and expertise on an international platform.

Team Denkers secured first place at the Code Blast National Hackathon 2023, hosted by SLT-Mobitel. Their winning solution, EzyRail, an AI-powered QR-based railway ticketing system, was recognized for its innovation in smart transportation.

Award Issuer: SLT-Mobitel
Date: September 30, 2023
 

Team Choo Choo Crew won 1st Runner-up at IdeaSprint 2023 for their proposed live train location tracking app for Sri Lanka Railways. This solution was recognized for improving commuter convenience through real-time updates.

Award Issuer: IMSSA, Department of Industrial Management, University of Kelaniya
Date: July 30, 2023
Mentor: Mrs. Kulesha Rashmini

We are thrilled to announce the outstanding achievement of Navienya Selvanathan, Shadurceya Vasanthakumar, Chathumini Samarasinghe and Mishara Wickramasinghe from Level Two of the Department of Industrial Management, who emerged victorious in BIZMINDS 2023, a prestigious Business Plan competition organized by the Young Entrepreneurs Association of the University of Kelaniya, for the 10th consecutive year. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the winners and look forward to witnessing their continued success and the positive influence they will undoubtedly have on the entrepreneurial world.

The Department of Industrial Management in University of Kelaniya is delighted to announce the exceptional success of Team IB in BI Master 1.0, a prestigious competition organized by the Association of Business and Technology in University of Kelaniya. Isal Dias, Manod de Silva, Nihim Abhayarathne and Raduni de Abrew from Level Three of the Department of Industrial Management represented the victorious team.

The Department of Industrial Management is delighted to announce that a research paper co-authored by three members of the department has won the Best Paper Award at the 2nd International Conference on Innovations in Engineering, Science and Technology for Sustainable Development (ICEST 2025) organized by The Maldives National University (MNU). This IEEE Conference, which featured 67 papers, recognized the paper “A CNN-Based Grading and Feedback System for Dental Cavity Preparation Using Top-View Images” for its innovative application of AI and deep learning in dental education. The award-winning project, “DentED,” led by Pasindu Jayawardhane from the University of Westminster and supervised by Dinesh Asanka from the Department of Industrial Management, University of Kelaniya, was a collaborative effort among researchers from the Institute of Information Technology (IIT), University of Kelaniya, and the Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, exemplifying the strength of interdisciplinary research in advancing education and healthcare through technology.

The 9th International Conference on Information Technology Research (ICITR 2024), hosted by the University of Moratuwa, recognized innovative AI research. Sandushi Weraduwa was awarded the Best Paper Award for her work on developing a Sinhala handwriting dataset to aid early dysgraphia detection in children. This SCOPUS-indexed research contributed significantly to learning disability studies in Sinhala script.

Award Issuer: University of Moratuwa – Faculty of Information Technology
Date: December 6, 2024
Mentor: Mr. Dinesh Asanka, Dr. Thilini Mahanama, Dr. Swarna Wijeatunge

At the International Conference on Sustainable & Digital Business (ICSDB 2024), hosted by SLIIT Business School, G.K. Manikshini De Silva received the Best Paper Award for her research on business ecosystem volatility in Sri Lankan multinational corporations. Her study provided insights into dynamic capabilities and firm performance, earning praise from global industry experts.

Award Issuer: SLIIT Business School
Date: December 11, 2024
Mentor: Dr. Amila Withanarachchi

We take immense pleasure in announcing that Eranga Silva of the Department of Industrial Management (Batch 2017/2018) was honored with the prestigious Best Paper Award for SCSE 2023 on the 14th of February at the Vice Chancellor's office. Dr. Chathumi Kavirathna served as the research supervisor for the award-winning paper titled, "Factors Affecting the Implementation of Sustainable Practices in the Sri Lankan Food Retail Sector." at the International Conference on Smart Computing and Systems Engineering (SCSE) 2023 .

Two students from the Department of Industrial Management at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, recently participated in Technovit 2024 at the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Chennai campus, India. Held from September 19th to 21st, the event offered a comprehensive blend of workshops, competitions, and networking opportunities, organized by various schools within the VIT campus. 

Abishaa Rubanathan, a fourth-year student of the Department of Industrial Management in University of Kelaniya, received the Gold Award at the 25th National ICT Awards NBQSA 2023 which took place on the 25th of October 2023. Her project, 'Cubic - A Mobile-Based Platform for the Sri Lankan School Transport System,' was aimed at improving school children's safety. The event was organized by BCS - The Chartered Institute for IT. Her project was supervised by Dr. Amila Withanaarachchi, senior lecturer of the Department of Industrial Management in the University of Kelaniya.

The Department of Industrial Management hosted the 9th Invention Convention for Engineering Smart Systems for Industry (InCo 2023) on the 20th of September. This remarkable event showcased the creativity, innovation, and talent of our future industrial management experts. The winners were presented with certificates in recognition of their outstanding achievements and commitment in pushing the boundaries of innovation. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and participants for their remarkable efforts and look forward to witnessing their future contributions to the industry.

The Department of Industrial Management proudly acknowledges the remarkable achievements of its champions, whose dedication and excellence have set new standards of distinction. The prestigious Colors Night 2023/2024 was held on January 16, 2024, at the Faculty of Computing and Technology Auditorium, University of Kelaniya, where the outstanding contributions of exceptional sportsmen and women were formally recognized. Their commitment and success in various sporting disciplines were honored, reflecting the department’s dedication to fostering both academic and extracurricular excellence.

We are delighted to announce that the prestigious Colours Night took place on the 27th of July in the Dharmaloka Hall of University of Kelaniya, to celebrate the glory of supreme sportsmanship and camaraderie. It is with great pride that we acknowledge the outstanding achievements of 19 esteemed students from the Department of Industrial Management, who were conferred with the esteemed Colours awards.