About us

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.

Our Vision

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

Our Mission

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

Founder & Director/CEO

Ayesh Indranath Ranawaka is a distinguished maritime professional and ocean advocate whose career spans naval service, commercial shipping, fisheries development, and ocean sustainability. Educated at Royal College Colombo, he served with distinction in the Sri Lanka Navy before spending over 12 years commanding commercial vessels in the merchant marine sector.

At the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation (CFHC), he led transformative initiatives, most notably pioneering commercial whale watching in Sri Lanka, a project initially undertaken without institutional support that later evolved into a nationally recognized marine tourism asset. He also modernized fishery harbour operations by establishing the Harbour Operations Division, introducing reforms that directly benefited fishing communities. His contributions extended to marine environmental protection, including initiating Marine Pollution Prevention Guards and contributing to the drafting of the Marine Pollution Prevention Act.

As a voluntary advisor to the State Ministry of Fisheries, Mr. Ranawaka championed the Blue Economy and ocean sustainability. He later restructured CEYNOR’s five-year corporate plan at minimal cost, demonstrating exceptional strategic leadership. His private-sector innovations include developing a locally engineered fly ash hopper system with Holcim Cement and leading the successful construction of the Delft Island jetty under challenging logistical conditions.

He is also the founder and Editor-in-Chief of “oceanlust”, Sri Lanka’s first ocean-themed e-magazine, now internationally recognized, and the founder of INORA – Institute of Ocean Resources Analysis, a think tank dedicated to advancing SDG 14: Life Below Water. Through INORA, he continues to drive initiatives in marine pollution control, waterway transport, and ocean resource digitization.

Executive Council

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.

Commander Champaka Paulis rtd.

Commander Champaka 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.

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.

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.

Captain 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.