Faculty of Agriculture facilitates the 40 years of unparalleled service of Senior Professor Ranjith Senaratne

Senior Professor Ranjith Senaratne, Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, retired after 40 years dedicated service to the Sri Lankan higher education system. Prof. R. Senaratne obtained his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture special degree from the University of Peradeniya in 1977 with second class honours and M.Phil (Agric.) degree from the same university in 1980. He obtained his PhD at Agricultural University in Vienna in 1986. Prof. R. senaratne started his academic career as an assistant lecturer in Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture in 1980. He was appointed as a Professor of Crop Science in 1998 and served as the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna for nearly eight years before being appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna in March 2001, a post which he held with distinction for six years until March 2007. As the Vice Chancellor, he was strongly committed to promoting academic excellence, high impact research, creative enterprise, strategic partnership with industry, community development and international cooperation. Some of the landmark achievement during his tenure include introduction of the CVCD Excellence Awards Scheme in 2006, launching of the Vice Chancellor’s Award scheme at University of Ruhuna, launching of the University Song at during the Silver Jubilee celebrations in 2003. He also served as the Vice Chairman University Grants Commission from May 2011- 2015 and Chairman, Ocean University (National Institute of Fisheries and Nautical Engineering) from 2008- 2015. He had been awarded “Ruhunu Puthra” in 2000 in appreciation and recognition of the services rendered for the regional and national development. And also he had been awarded the title “Sri Rohana Ranjana Vidya Nidhi” in 2005 by the Executive Committee of Rohana Sanga Sabha in recognition of the outstanding educational and community service rendered and most importantly conferred an honorary doctorate in Civil Law (DCL) by the University of Durham in the UK in recognition of academic distinction, effective management and visionary development of an international strategy for the University of Ruhuna. Currently, Prof. Senaratne is serving as the chairman of National Science Foundation. He rendered an irreplaceable service to the Faculty of Agriculture as well as to the University of Ruhuna for nearly 4 decades until his retirement on the 25th March 2020. 

The felicitation ceremony was held on 30 th July 2020, organized by RAFTA , Faculty of Agriculture.

Youtube Video:-