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RTI query reveals CAA on a 3mn flight of fancy with King Ravana
King Ravana and his flying machine
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has allocated Rs 3 million for an ongoing research project on the “lost aviation heritage” appearing in the legend of King Ravana.
The initial two-year project was launched last year on the instructions of the CAA’s Board of Directors. The Board also approved the above funds for the project, the authority stated in response to a Right to Information (RTI) request filed by the Sunday Times.
Three researchers attached to the CAA’s Environment, Research and Project Section are currently working on the project.
The Sunday Times RTI application questioned the scientific basis for the CAA to undertake this research. The authority’s response states that it is the regulatory body for aviation in Sri Lanka and that according to literature and folklore, it is said that King Ravana was the first aviator in the world. As such, the CAA launched this research to look into the credibility of these claims and to see if it could find the technology related to King Ravana’s “flying machines.”
In July last year, the CAA published a newspaper advertisement announcing that it was launching a research project on the theme “King Ravana and the lost heritage of aviation dominance.”
The advertisement placed by the CAA
As an initial step in this project, the CAA advertisement called on interested parties to submit any documents, books or other literature in their possession on the subject to the CAA before July 30, 2020. A phone number and an email address were published in the advertisement for people to contact the CAA. The advertisement added that the authority would provide payment for any material that is relevant to the topic.
The deadline for accepting documents, books and other literature for the research project was not extended beyond this date, states the CAA’s response to the RTI. It adds that while the CAA received letters from interested parties in response to the advertisement, no payments were made to any party as no one made any claims for payment.
The project is being carried out wholly by the CAA and no other state or private agency is involved, the authority notes, adding that as of now, the researchers are still in the process of collecting literature and available evidence related to King Ravana and aviation.
After the completion of the two-year project, the researchers will publish their findings in a research paper, the CAA noted.
The CAA’s Director Board comprises Chairman Upul Dharmadasa, Vice Chairman Amitha Wijayasuriya, Director General of Civil Aviation Capt. Themiya Abeywickrama (Ex-Officio Member), Secretary, Ministry of Defence General (Retd.) Kamal Gunaratne (Ex-Officio Member), Director General – Department of Project Management and Monitoring Ayanthi De Silva (Ex-Officio Member and Treasury Representative), Nihal Jayawardana PC, Chaminda Welegama, Captain Navin Asanka De Silva and Avanthi Senarathne (Ministry Observer – Director (Aviation), Ministry of Tourism and Aviation).