Indresri Karunatilaka wins ‘The Ray’ award
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has extended a grant of Rs 1 million to
award-winning Sri Lankan inventor Indresri Karunatilaka, to
commercialise his invention of a wave-less boat that can traverse inland
waters without disturbing riverbeds.
Karunatilaka was the winner of the inaugural ‘The Ray’ award for
invention presented by the Ray Wijewardene Charitable Trust in
collaboration with Sri Lanka Inventors Commission and powered by
Commercial Bank, Sri Lanka’s largest private bank.
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Indresri Karunatilaka receives the grant of Rs 1 million from
Ravi Dias, Managing Director and CEO of Commercial Bank in the
presence of Senior Minister of Scientific Affairs Prof. Tissa
Vitharana and Prof. Malik Ranasinghe, Chairman, Ray Wijewardene
Charitable Trust. |
An accountant by profession, Karunatilaka inherited a dormant
passenger and cargo transport business from his grandfather, but could
not resume the service along the Kalu Ganga because environmental
regulations now prohibit motor boats on Sri Lanka’s rivers due to the
damage caused to riverbeds by the waves they generate.
This inspired Karunatilaka to design a unique new 4,000 kg
rectangular boat with a revolutionary hull shape that can travel at
speed without creating a wave, and even minimises ripples, an invention
that was chosen from six shortlisted for the prestigious ‘The Ray’ award
presented at a gala ceremony on October17. As Principal Sponsor of this
award, the Commercial Bank has committed its support, including a grant
of Rs 1 million to enable Karunatilaka to prepare the invention for
commercialization.
Ravi Dias, Commercial Bank’s Managing Director and CEO, who formally
presented the inventor with the grant, said: “We are particularly
pleased that this invention has the potential to contribute to
environmental preservation, while promoting trade and commerce by
offering another option for passenger and cargo transport.
Karunatilaka’s invention is an example to others of how innovative
thinking can enable people to comply with laws and progress instead of
being deterred by them.”
Presented in memory of Sri Lanka’s legendary inventor Ray Wijewardene
(1924 – 2010), he Ray Award is open to all Presidential Award winners of
the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission.
The Commercial bank is the only Sri Lankan Bank to be listed two
years consecutively in the world’s Top 1000 Banks. |
