News
Present Ambassador to Russia to take up duties as University of Peradeniya VC
Prof M D Lamawansa, the present Ambassador of the Russian Federation, is to assume duties as the next Vice Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya.
He will take up the post at the beginning of next month, after present Vice Chancellor Upul B Dissanayake’s term of office ends on July 31.
In January 2020, Prof Lamawansa was nominated for the post of Sri Lankan Ambassador to the Russian Federation, with a concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Armenia, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Moldova and Republic of Uzbekistan.
He was the professor of surgery and former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Peradeniya, before taking up the diplomatic posting. He was also the founding Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Wayamba University, and a consultant general surgeon at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital.
Prof Lamawansa has also authored and contributed to major research publications in several areas of surgery and public health care. He has presented papers at more than 100 international and national research conferences, including 20 conferences where he was the keynote speaker.
A reception committee has already taken steps to welcome Prof M D Lamawansa and organise a farewell for outgoing Vice Chancellor Upul B Dissanayake.
During Prof Dissanayake’s time at the university, a new multi-million rupee library with many facilities was established.
Prof Dissanayake, along with Chief Librarian Rasiah Maheswaran, also discovered the oldest Tripitakaya in the massive university library.
He also organised a project to collect and preserve all palm leaf (ola leaf) manuscripts in the library.
Recently, a new stadium with seats for 300 spectators, was declared open at the university, and Prof Dissanayake was instrumental in finding the necessary finances for the project.