Farewell Speech delivered by Prof. Swarna Piyasiri, Senior Professor of Zoology and Dean Faculty of Graduate Studies at the Workshop on “Present and Future Prospects of Faculty of Applied Sciences” and appreciation Dinner for retired Professors of Science Faculty
Good evening to all of you
Vice chancellor,
Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences
Our colleagues retiring from academic services of the university;
- Mr. K. K. N. Siriwardene from Department of Mathematics,
- Prof. Dhammika A. Tantrigoda from Department of Physics
- Prof. Ajit M. Abeysekera from Department of Chemistry,
- Prof. Chandrani Wijeratne from Dept of Botany,
All the senior professors, Professors, Associate professors & senior lecturers & Lecturers of the Faculty and other academic members invited from other faculties
Heads of all the departments of the Faculty of Applied Sciences
Registrar & Bursar
All the non academic staff members of the Faculty of Applied Sciences
Ladies & gentleman
I consider this opportunity as a great privilege and an honor to present concluding remarks & vote of thanks in this workshop organized to pay the gratitude to our highly reputed and greatly honored senior academic members of the Faculty of Applied Sciences.
At the same time I would like to mention that we are sad due to the vacuum created by them and also to miss their company and their valuable contribution in the future endeavors of our faculty.
K. K. N. Siriwardene from Department of Mathematics
Dear collegue, Mr Siriwardene
We believe that you lived a full life in your academic carrier in the way you wished.
You lived a quality academic life with good policies and with your own principals.
You never wanted to climb big ladders but have contributed massively to the academic life of students as well as to the academic staff in various ways.
You never wanted to be ambitious to achieve positions and you were satisfied with what you achieved in life.
Silently you have contributed a lot to the university which were not limited only to the department of mathematics but to all the faculties of the university. However such contributions may not known by others because you never wanted to claim credits for what you have done.
Dear Siriwardene, we miss you a lot.
Always we found that you were cool, happy kind hearted and a peaceful person and you had a big heart to help your colleagues.
According to Lord Buddha “If in our daily life if we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it.
Definitely we got that profit from you throughout your carrier in the faculty.
On behalf of all the academics I would say a big thank you to you for your pleasant personality, your warm contributions extended to all of us during your entire carrier in the university.
Prof. Dhammika A. Tantrigoda from Department of Physics
Dear Professor Thanthirigoda
You are an eminent professor not only to the University of Sri Jayewardenepura but known to entire academic community as well as to the scientific community nationally & internationally.
You have reached academic milestones on time from lecturer probationary level to a professor, cadre chair position and to the senior professor level through your service effortlessly facing all the challenges within the university system achieving the highest academic levels.
Not only that you have contributed to the university administration as a Head of the Department nearly for 15 years and as the second dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Apart from that you participated in many decision making committees of the university and helped the university administrations to come up with correct solutions during many crisis situations.
Even after your retirement, now you are extending your services further to our university to establish the new Engineering & Technological Faculty.
At the same time you are serving as the chairman of the NASTEC extending your knowledge, experience and advisory capacities further at very high levels.
Your interests towards research specially on seismic studies enabled you to produce many PhDs & M Phil graduates in this university as well as in the other universities of the country.
Even after achieving the highest academic levels of the university you never tried to relax. You completed supervision of many Ph D degrees and M Phil degrees and helped the postgraduate students to complete their work before your retirement making an example to fellow academics of the university.
You have publications in the indexed journals, refereed journals & you have contributed massively to science in your research field during your carrier.
Also you served as the president of the SLAAS which is a recognition to your academic carrier & to the university.
Apart from all that you are a genuine faithful person with a pleasant personality to all of us. You always advised the junior academics for their betterment.
Thank you sir for your valuable contributions and service to upgrade the Faculty of applied sciences during your entire carrier. Your great contributions to the academic community are very highly appreciated and remain in our hearts forever. Thank you
Prof. Ajit M. Abeysekera from Department of Chemistry
Dear Professor Ajith Abeysekera
You are also a well known professional figure nationally & internationally. Who achieved all the academic milestones reaching the senior professor and cadre chair positions in your Department.
Throughout your carrier you have fulfilled all your responsibilities. You contributed as a Head of the Chemistry Department, Dean of the Faculty for two terms and as the Director of Nawinna Ayurwedic Cente.
Like your collegue professor Thanthirigoda, you never wanted to relax after achieving highest academic distinctions. You supervised the post graduate students to achieve PhD degrees & M Phil degrees and completed their supervision before your retirement.
You had many publications in indexed journals & refereed Journals contributing to upgrade the university to world ranking.
You involved in many decision making committees and you were very smart in arguing to push the committees in the correct directions.
Thank you sir for your genuineness, faithfulness and kindness to all the academic members of the faculty & we greatly appreciate your valuable contributions to upgrade our faculty. Thank you.
Prof. Chandrani Wijeratne from Dept of Botany
Dear Professor Chandrani Wijeratne
I think you are the first lady lecturer who is retiring from the Faculty of applied sciences recently.
We know you as a very efficient active personality trying to push things very hard facing challenges in the academic life.
You also have achieved all the milestones as a professor and a senior professor of the university.
You also have contributed a lot for your research carrier by publishing your research in indexed journals and refereed journals. You involved in national & international research activities. We have to appreciate your contributions to the university even with all your family responsibilities as a mother. You never neglected your academic contributions with all that. Your genuineness, faithfulness and all good human values extended towards the members of this faculty are greatly appreciated.
Dear Chandrani, on behalf of all the faculty members, I wish to appreciate all valuable contributions made by you to upgrade the faculty of applied Sciences upto its present level. Thank you.
Finally on behalf of the Faculty of applied Sciences, I would like to pay my humble gratitude to all four members who are retiring form our faculty.
We all wish that you have a wonderful retirement life in the way you want with good health wealth and Good luck and long life. We greatly appreciate all your contribution to academic life as well as your pleasant personal relationships with us during your entire carrier.
You no longer have to punch a time clock
You can now do
what you want
when you want
anytime you want.
Thank you
Finally I wish to thank Vice Chancellor, Dean of the faculty, organizing committee and the academic & non academic members who contributed in various ways to bring this event to a success.
Thank you.
Prof. Swarna Piyasiri,
Senior Professor,
Dean Faculty of Graduate Studies
