The ‘Ray Award’ 2012 Shortlist Announced

3 October 2012, Colombo

Six Lankan inventors, already honoured by Presidential Awards for Innovation in recent years, have been shortlisted for the inaugural Ray Award to celebrate excellence in innovations by Lankans.

The Ray Award is a biennial, life-time award given in memory of the late Ray Wijewardene, the foremost inventor produced by Sri Lanka, to help a state recognised inventor to commercialise his or her invention.

The Award is administered and presented by the Ray Wijewardene Charitable Trust (RWCT) in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission (SLIC) and powered by Commercial Bank.

All past winners of the Presidential Awards for innovation, presented by SLIC, were eligible and invited to apply for this award. As part of their detailed application, they were asked to present a plan for commercialising their innovation.

The Trust received a total of 56 applications by the deadline of 31 July 2012. During August 2012, an independent panel appointed by the Trust reviewed all applications and conducted face-to-face interviews with a long list of promising candidates, from among them a shortlist of six candidates has been selected.

The winner will be announced at a gala awards ceremony to be held on 17 October 2012 at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel, Colombo 2. The chief guest would be Dr Tissa Vitarana, Senior Minister of Scientific Affairs. Attendance to this event will be by invitation only.

“The Ray” award winner will receive a plaque and a citation from the Trust. The Commercial Bank would provide a credit line worth Rs 1 million worth to assist the winner to prepare the invention for commercialisation.

Here is the shortlist of recognized innovators listed in no particular order.

Dr Anil Goonetilleke
A chest specialist who invented a dry powder inhaler, or ‘Ventohaler’, that helps users take in more of the dose
Profiled in Sunday Times, 9 Sept 2012:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120909/plus/chest-docs-efficient-ventohaler-11102.html

Sunil Somasiri Gomes
An expert in cleaner production who invented the Ecodesigned Spherical to reduce wastage and increase efficiency in natural rubber latex industry
Profiled in Sunday Times, 16 Sept 2012: 
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120916/plus/ringing-out-the-rubber-clean-and-waste-free-12248.html

I S W Karunatilake
An accountant who built an eco-friendly motor boat that is fuel-efficient and does not erode river banks
Profiled in Sunday Times, 23 Sept 2012: 
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120923/plus/on-course-on-his-eco-friendly-boat-13240.html

Dr S J B Lenadora
A consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist who designed an innovative Pneumatic Self Retaining Abdominal Retractor
Profiled in Sunday Times, 30 Sept 2012:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120930/plus/going-easy-on-those-tissues-with-his-friendly-retractor-14332.html

Sankha Nanayakkara
An electrical and electronics engineer who invented a surge diverter with unlimited surge handling capability
Profiled in Sunday Times, 7 Oct 2012:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/121007/plus/when-lightning-strikes-this-surge-diverter-will-do-its-bit-15190.html

R M Dammika Sujith Rathnayake
A self-taught technician who has developed an efficient coir machine that reduces waste

Profiled in Sunday Times, 14 Oct 2012:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/121014/plus/coir-machine-that-takes-on-1000-husks-an-hour-16044.html

The Ray Award 2012: Independent Selection Panel

20 June 2012: The Ray Award to Commercialise Lankan Inventions

  
Photos of this event can found on our Facebook page (viewing them does not require you to have a Facebook account)

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