About – INORA Sri Lanka

About us

We are here to Empower Sri Lanka to become a Marine Nation by 2050

Institute of Ocean Resource Analysis Sri Lanka: Advancing Sustainable Blue Economy and Public Awareness for SDG 14

Institute for Ocean Resources Analysis (INORA-SL) is formulated in accordance with SDG No.14 (Life below Water) as Gurantee Limited Company .

INORA is to carry out community-based projects mainly based on the ocean and conservation of oceanic resources. In coordination with subject matter experts of ocean resources and aquatic environments, we aim to facilitate economic and social development of the fisheries communities, by conducting research and development activities, training and capacity building programs and policy, advocacy and awareness campaigns in a long-term sustainable plan to achieve global millennium development goals, national marine tourism, and ocean-based economic development.

Vision

To enable Sri Lanka rise as a sustainable Marine Nation by 2050

Mission

Achieve the above by carrying out community-based management projects on ocean resources, creating thriving coastal communities and healthy oceans for future generations

Founder & Director/CEO

The CEO, Mr. Ayesh Indranath Ranawaka started his ocean career in the Navy as a commissioned officer but subsequently resigned and joined the merchant navy and commanded many ships as the master.

Following, he joined the Ceylon Fishery Harbors Corporation and carried out valuable projects centering the fishing community in the island. Moreover, he was the Managing Director at Ceynor Foundation and vice President of National Fishery Federation. Read more …

Land divides ocean unites

Meet the Directors

Experts in giving your business best start

Miss. Rangapali Ranaweera

Miss. Rangapali Ranaweera is a freelance consultant specializing in International Development. She has extensive experience working with international donors, government agencies, non-profit community-based organizations, and recipient communities to develop behavioral change communication interventions for clients such as people living with HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ communities, persons with disabilities, and street children. She has also worked with top international humanitarian organizations in large-scale disaster relief, rehabilitation, and resettlement program management.

Rear Admiral Merril Wickremasinghe (Rtd)

The position of Director Administrations is held by Rear Admiral Merril Wickremasinghe (Rtd). He has an unblemished naval career spanning 35 years in the Sri Lanka Navy. Apart from that, he has completed Master of National Security and War Studies in the National Defense University of Pakistan. Moreover, he has also studied International Humanitarian Law conducted by the British Royal Navy and a specialization course on anti-submarine warfare conducted by the Indian Navy.

Rear Admiral Sudarshana Wevita (Rtd)

Rear Admiral Sudarshana Wevita (Rtd) served as Deputy Chief of Staff of Sri Lanka Navy and has an illustrious career expanding 35 years as an executive branch officer. Rear Admiral Wevita has obtained his Master’s Degree of Strategic Security Studies from the National Defense University of Washington DC, USA and Master’s degree of National Defense from the National Defense University of Beijing, China. He also served as the Defense Advisor at the embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington DC where he represented the Ministry of Defense, Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington DC. He served as the advisor to HE the ambassador on matters relating to defense cooperation between the two nations.

Our Consultants

Mr. Nimal Chandraratne

Mr. Nimal Chandraratne is the Director General at the National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka (NAQDA). He also served as the Director of Sea Farming and Coastal Aquaculture there. Mr. Chandraratne also has experience as an aqua culturist at the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. As an aqua culturist, he has experience in management of fisheries in inland waters and has carried out many groundbreaking projects related to breeding and conserving local breeds of fish. As the Director of Coastal Aquaculture and Sea Farming, he was responsible for all coastal aquaculture development activities including initiating sea weed aquaculture in Sri Lanka and development of sea weed culture and handling all the extension work of sea weed culture with special reference to Cappaphycus sp.

Prof. Hemanthi Ranasinghe

Prof. Hemanthi Ranasinghe currently serves as a professor of Forest and environment studies at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, where she previously held tenure as Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. She is also a member of the National Expert Committee on Climate Change Mitigation and a governing board member of the Central Environment Authority.

Mr. Anura Kulatunge

Mr. Anura Kulatunge has gained theoretical experience from the University of Tasmania on Environmental Design and has worked as a research officer at the Darwin City Council, Australia. He has many professional qualifications in the fields of Urban Planning, Environmental Design and Information Technology.

Commander Champika Paulis

Commander Champika Paulis, a retired Navy Commander who previously served as a civil engineer. With a passion for innovation, he ventured into entrepreneurship instead of pursuing another job. He has a remarkable track record of inventing new things and pushing boundaries.

One of his noteworthy achievements was overseeing an excavation project in Prima, which faced the harbor. He executed the project with utmost care for the environment and achieved excellent results. In another project, he developed a jetty in Delft island, where no transportation was available to bring in heavy machinery. Despite the challenges, he managed to complete the project successfully, showcasing his ingenuity and problem-solving skills.

These projects are just a few examples of his many successful and innovative projects. We are proud to have such a visionary leader at the helm of our company.

Commander Amitha Abeyrathne

As a Master Mariner with extensive experience sailing the high seas, he possesses a deep understanding of the ocean and its nuances. He has also served as a Marine Pilot at the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, where he gained valuable expertise in navigating ships through various ports and waterways.