A Research Awards Ceremony is a pivotal event for a university, serving multiple purposes. Such events recognise and celebrate the contributions of scholars and researchers, fostering excellence, motivation, and collaboration. They also enhance a university’s reputation, engage the academic community, and build capacity for long-term impact.
The Faculty of Management Studies at the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka (SUSL) hosted its third Research Awards Ceremony to honour the top research performers in 2023. The event was held on November 27, 2024, at the Faculty of Management Studies Auditorium, SUSL. The ceremony was graced by Deans of Faculties, administrative officers, heads of departments from the Faculty of Management Studies, and academic and non-academic staff of SUSL. Dr. O.C.C.G. Bandara, Assistant General Manager – Research and Development at the Bank of Ceylon, contributed as the Guest of Honour. The event also marked the 27th anniversary of the Faculty of Management Studies, serving as a celebration of excellence and success in the field of research.
As per the FMS Research Awards highlights, six main awards and six special recognition awards were presented. The six main award categories included the Highest H-Index Award of the Year in both senior and junior categories, the Highest Citations of the Year in both senior and junior categories, the Early Career Researcher of the Year, and the Dean’s Award for Best Research Performance in the faculty.
The six special recognition awards included the Dean’s Gold Medal for researchers with more than two papers in indexed journals, for researchers with indexed publications, for researchers with peer-reviewed refereed journal publications, for researchers with chapters in recognised books, the Dean’s Gold Medal for the Presidential Award, and for researchers who secured external research grants during the year.
Dean’s Award for the Best Research Performance in 2023
This year’s recipient of the Dean’s Award for Research Excellence in the Faculty of Management Studies is a distinguished scholar whose career is dedicated to academic excellence, innovative research, and a passion for expanding knowledge in tourism management.
Prof. R.S.S.W. Arachchi has been awrded as the recipient of the Dean’s Award for the Best Research Performance in 2023.Graduating from Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, the awardee furthered his academic journey with a Master’s degree from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, and a PhD from Management and Science University in Malaysia. He is currently a Professor of Tourism Management at the Department of Tourism Management, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka. He has made remarkable contributions to both academia and the tourism sector.
His expertise encompasses ecotourism, community-based tourism, sustainable tourism development, responsible tourism, environmental and tourism resources, and homestay tourism in Asian countries. He has published nearly 75 papers in reputable journals, both locally and internationally. Additionally, he serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Management and The International Journal of Education Humanities and Social Science.
He is a member of the Global Association for Humanities and Social Science Research and a professional member of the Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality and the Business Coaches Association. His involvement extends to various advisory roles, including serving as a council member of Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka and holding several administrative leadership positions, including Head of the Department of Tourism Management. His outstanding contributions to research, academia, and sustainable tourism make him a deserving recipient of the Dean’s Award for Research Excellence.
The first runner-up of the Dean’s Award was awarded to Mr. A.A.M.D. Amarasinghe, and the second runner-up to Dr. N.P.G.S.I. Naotunna, admiring their knowledge dissemination through research findings.
Early Career Researcher of the Year 2023
For his significant contributions to the management field and his remarkable achievements as an emerging researcher, Mr. A.A.M.D. Amarasinghe is presented with the Early Career Researcher Award for 2023.
Mr. Amarasinghe is an exceptional scholar whose career is defined by a commitment to academic excellence, innovative research, and a passion for expanding knowledge. With an impressive academic foundation, the awardee graduated with a first-class honours degree in Financial Management, achieving the highest GPA in his batch. This academic distinction set the stage for continued excellence in his educational journey, which includes a master’s degree in Business Statistics. His master’s thesis was notably recognised as the 2nd Runner-up for the Best Research Project (Postgraduate) by the Institute of Applied Statistics Sri Lanka (IASSL) in 2017.
With over ten years of experience as a lecturer, Mr. Amarasinghe has made substantial academic contributions through impactful teaching, research, and editorial roles. He has served as an Associate Editor for the Asian Journal of Finance (AJF) and co-edited the book Contemporary Issues in Finance, published by the Department of Accountancy and Finance at Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka.
His research contributions are substantial, with over 50 publications and more than 170 Google Scholar citations, an H-index of 5, and an i10-index of 3. His work covers crucial topics such as the Sri Lankan capital market, macroeconomic indicators, and contemporary accounting, banking, finance, and insurance issues.
Highest Citations Award (Junior Category) for 2023
Ms. M.S.H. Rathnasiri was presented with the Highest Citations Award (Junior Category) for 2023 for her remarkable accomplishments and dedication to academic excellence. She is a Lecturer in the Department of Marketing Management and has distinguished herself with 100+ citations in 2024, an h-index of 7, and an i10-index of 3. Her research spans consumer behaviour, sustainability, services marketing, tourism marketing, retail marketing, and consumer psychology. Beyond her research contributions, she is instrumental in scholarly publishing as the Associate Editor and Editorial Assistant of the South Asian Journal of Marketing by Emerald Publishing.
Additionally, she is an editor for two Scopus-indexed books: Modelling Economic Growth in Contemporary Sri Lanka and Shaping Entrepreneurial Marketing: A South Asian Perspective (Emerald Publishing). Her editorial expertise extends to contributing to the Sri Lankan Marketer Magazine, published by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM), where she is a full member.
The first runner-up of the Highest Citations Award has been presented to Mr K.S.S.N. Karunarathna, appreciating his calibre in the research field.
Highest Citations Award (Senior Category) for 2023
Based on their Google Scholar Citations public profiles, the faculty recognises 2023 highly cited senior researcher through this award. The Highest Citations Award (Senior Category) for 2023 is awarded to Professor Dewasiri N. Jayantha for outstanding accomplishments and dedication to academic excellence and impact on the research community. With 214 citations in 2023, over 1,000 cumulative citations, an h-index of 15, and an i10-index of 21, he has profoundly impacted Financial Management, banking, and related disciplines.
The awardee has a remarkable research portfolio, including over 35 Scopus-indexed publications and contributions to high-ranked journals. Notably, this scholar is the leading proponent of introducing the data triangulation research approach to the finance discipline. Additionally, he is the Senior Vice President of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing and an Adjunct Professor at Chandigarh University, India. Emerald Publishing, UK, has appointed this academic brand ambassador for the South Asian region, recognising its exceptional contributions to research and academia.
The first runner-up of the Highest Citations Award (Senior Category) for 2023 was awarded to Prof. Athula Gnanapala, and the second runner-up to Prof. Thilini C. Gamage, admiring their knowledge dissemination through research findings.
Highest H-Index Award- (Junior category) for 2023
This award has been devoted to a young researcher in the Faculty who has received the highest h-index value from Google Scholar Citations public profiles for remarkable publications in indexed/ peer-reviewed journals. Ms. M.S.H. Rathnasiri was presented with the Highest H-Index Award (Junior Category) for 2023 for her outstanding accomplishments and dedication to academic excellence.
An alumna of Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, she holds a BSc (Special) in Marketing Management, an MSc in Business and Organizational Psychology from Coventry University, UK, and an MBA from the Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The Faculty of Management Studies also recognised her commitment to research in 2022 when it awarded her the Early Career Researcher Award.
The first runner-up of the Highest Citation Award (Junior Category) has been presented to Mr K.S.S.N. Karunarathna, recognising his performance in 2023.
Highest H-Index Award- (Senior category) for 2023
For his exceptional accomplishments and unwavering dedication to academic excellence, Prof. Athula C. Gnanapala has been awarded the Highest h-index (Senior Category) for 2023. His scholarly work has garnered over 1,400 citations, with an h-index of 19 and an i10-index of 22, reflecting a significant impact on Tourism Management and related disciplines. He has an impressive portfolio of academic contributions, including 25 books and book chapters, over 50 articles in refereed and indexed journals, and more than 100 presentations at international conferences. The recipient is a Tier 4* researcher as classified by the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka, a recognition of their exceptional scholarly accomplishments.
Beyond research, he has demonstrated exemplary leadership by serving as the acting Vice-Chancellor of Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Head of the Department of Tourism Management, and Programme Coordinator for the MSc in Ayurvedic Hospital Management.
He has also contributed significantly to academia as the Chairman of the Subject Benchmarks Preparation Committee (Tourism and Hospitality) of the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka and as a key member of international projects, including the European Union’s CESTour project. A dedicated mentor, reviewer, and consultant, he is also an active member of various professional and academic bodies, including the Board of Study at the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) and the Professional Business Coaches Association – Sri Lanka (PBCA).
The first runner-up of the Highest H-Index Award (Senior Category) for 2023 was awarded to Prof. Dewasiri N. Jayantha, and the second runner-up to Prof. Thilini C. Gamage, admiring their knowledge dissemination through research findings.
The Dean’s Gold Medal for the Presidential Award for Scientific Research was presented to Dr. Wahala Bandara. This prestigious award celebrates outstanding contributions to scientific advancement. It underscores the immense dedication, passion, and innovation demonstrated by the recipient, who was honoured with the presidential award for his invaluable contributions.
This year’s awards also included a new category: the Dean’s Gold Medal for Top-Tier Publications in 2023. This award recognises exceptional scholarly contributions that have elevated our institution’s academic reputation through outstanding research and publications in highly indexed journals—accordingly, Prof. Dewasiri N. Jayantha, Prof. T.C. Gamage, Dr. M.D.N.M.U. Mahawattha, Ms. M.S.H. Rathnasiri, and Mr. K.S.S.N. Karunarathna were awarded the Dean’s Gold Medal for Top-Tier Publications.
Certificates were also presented to researchers with publications in indexed and refereed journals and books, acknowledging their efforts to make a significant impact within the scientific community.
Acknowledging our esteemed partners
The 3rd Annual FMS Research Awards Ceremony showcased the vital role of strategic partnerships in advancing academic and research excellence. The Colombo Stock Exchange, as the Platinum Sponsor, demonstrated its commitment to fostering innovation and development in academia. Similarly, the Bank of Ceylon, our Gold Sponsor, played a crucial role in enabling this landmark event, reinforcing its reputation as a steadfast supporter of education and research.
Dialog Axiata PLC, the Telecommunication Partner, seamlessly provided connectivity, ensuring uninterrupted communication throughout the event. Further, our Banking Partners—People’s Bank, Commercial Bank, and Hatton National Bank PLC—exemplified their dedication to empowering financial literacy and academic initiatives.
The event also received strong backing from Professional Partners, including the CFA Sri Lanka Society, the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka, and CIMA/CGMA, which are instrumental in promoting professional excellence in finance and management. To amplify the ceremony’s reach and impact, the Lake House Group, comprising Sunday Observer, Daily News, Silumina, and Dinamina, lent its media expertise as Print Media Partners. Meanwhile, as General Partners, Sunquick and Jannet Ayurveda contributed to enhancing the overall experience for participants.
These collaborative efforts underscore the significance of private and public sector partnerships in academic initiatives and highlight the growing recognition of education and research as key drivers of national development.
By Organising Committee
– FMS Research Awards 2023, Research and Publication Unit, Faculty of Management Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka
