Some 60 % of the country’s electricity used by low end consumers, households
The Moratuwa University’s Electrical Department has been modernised with the installation of a sophisticated machine lab replacing an antiquated system that existed for more than five decades. This was made possible by a Rs. 11 million gift from the CEO of LTL Holdings Ltd U.D. Jayawardena, former student, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the pioneering engineering batch of this university. The new machine lab was the brainchild of Ananda Sebastian, a past engineer from the University of Moratuwa who was instrumental in designing and installing the new system at the university.
Mr. Sebastian said electrical energy such as power electronics has to be used in an efficient way. “With more students in the university unlike in the past they all will now have an opportunity to work in the assembly line with the installation of the new machine lab without wasting time.” He said as mentioned by an expert 60 per cent of electricity in the country is used by small consumers and households. ‘We are presently experimenting a system where householders can function with electricity when cut off from the national grid. Self sustaining households in Sri Lanka is going to be our next project.” he said.
Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Prof. Kapila Perera said the donation of the new system was a gesture of goodwill from a member of the pioneering batch of the University of Moratuwa. “This goodwill gesture cannot be measured by monetary value alone but it was the idea and the concept that we value and cherish most.” He said technical education has to be developed along with the participants of students and with student unions for a common cause maintaining a healthy relationship. But such relationships are deteriorating fast. He said the CEO of LTL Holdings had also contributed to the University of Moratuwa on many occasions without expecting anything on return.
Vice Chancellor of the University of Moratuwa Prof. Ananda Jayawardena said although many industries have made donations in the past this was the biggest donation made to the University of Moratuwa. “It is difficult to have world class facilities but are trying to have world class systems here. However we are fortunate to get Rs. 500 million from the government this year to upgrade facilities at the Moratuwa University.” He profusely thanked Mr.Jayawardena for his magnanimous gesture. He said a foreign team that visited the Moratuwa University for accreditation purposes some time ago was critical at the outdated facilities available at the university although it produced world class graduates.
Mr. Jayawardena said that as a businessman he realised the potential that Ananda Sebastian possessed in creating things. He said many who had received a free education have left the country in search of greener pastures and have not contributed to the development of the country. Among who were associated with the opening were Chancellor of the Moratuwa University Prof. K.K.Y.W. Perera, Prof. J.P Karunadasa of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Eng. Justin Seneviratne and other staff.