Eng. Mahesh Samarawickrama

Bio-Data as submitted & certified by the candidate

Eng. Mahesh Nalin Chandana Samarawickrama graduated in 2000 with a BSc (Second Class Honours (Lower)) in Mining & Minerals Engineering from the University of Moratuwa. He obtained his MSc from the University of Peradeniya in 2004 and MBA from the University of Moratuwa in 2005.

He became a Member of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL) in 2007 and is currently a Fellow of IESL. He has served as a referee for numerous technical papers for the journal “ENGINEER”. He has also served on the IESL Education Standing Committee and IESL Professional Affairs Committee during the 2020/2021, 2022/2023, 2023/2024, 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 sessions, and on the IESL Professional Standards Management Committee during the 2023/2024, 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 sessions. He is currently Sub Editor of Sri Lanka Engineering News (SLEN), the official E-Newsletter of IESL, and serves as an Editorial Board Member of IESL.

He has published 15 refereed journal and conference papers and is currently reading for his PhD at the University of Moratuwa.

He commenced his career in 2000 as a Temporary Demonstrator at the University of Moratuwa. In 2001, he joined Lanka Mineral Sands Limited as a Mining and Mineral Processing Engineer; in 2003, Foundation & Waterwell Engineering (Pvt) Ltd as a Geotechnical Engineer; and in 2004, Neat Solutions (Pvt) Ltd as a Consultant Geotechnical Engineer. In 2008, he joined the Open University of Sri Lanka as a Senior Lecturer, the position he holds to date.

For more than two decades, he has served as a consultant/senior geotechnical engineer on many national-level projects, including rehabilitation of existing bridges in the North, North Central and Eastern Provinces (2004); rehabilitation of existing fisheries harbours at Panadura, Beruwala, Kudawella, Hikkaduwa, Puranawella and Mirissa (2004–2007); South Eastern University of Sri Lanka–Olluvil infrastructure improvement project (2006); proposed New Sea Port, Hambantota (2006); rehabilitation of the existing slipway and pier at the Sri Lanka Navy Base, Galle (2006); rehabilitation of the existing bridge at Irakkandy and proposed bridges at Pudawkattu and Yan Oya (2007); USAID tsunami-affected area infrastructure improvement programme (2006–2008); proposed bridges at Ralkuli, Gangei, Upparu, Kanyankerni and Valachchanei on the A15 road (2008); preliminary detailed investigations and foundation specialist services for the Tank Farm project at the proposed Hambantota Sea Port (2008–2010); geotechnical investigations for Dialog Telekom, Etisalat, Mobitel and Airtel telecom towers (2008–date); Southern Highway extension from Matara to Hambantota, Phase I, Section III (2011); Outer Circular Expressway (OCH-NSII), Kerawalapitya to Kadawatha (2014–2019); and Central Expressway Project, Section I, Package II, Mirigama to Kadawatha (2016–date).

He is also a cricketer who represented reputed clubs, including Bloomfield C & AC, Negombo CC and Sebastianites C & AC, in Division I tournaments. He was the schools island best bowler in Group B in the 1993–94 tournament while representing Raddoluwa Maha Vidyalaya.

Election Statement as submitted & certified by the candidate

My experience mainly includes teaching undergraduates in the field of Civil Engineering and serving as a geotechnical engineer in many national level projects.

I have been serving as a Council Member of the IESL for the past four sessions (2022/2023, 2023/2024, 2024/2025 and 2025/2026). Moreover, I have been serving as a Council Member of the Engineering Council of Sri Lanka (ECSL) for the same sessions. During this period, I have been actively involved in the matters related to the engineering education as well as professional matters related to the engineers. Moreover, I have initiated sports activities for IESL Members and organised Interprovincial Chapter Cricket tournament in 2024 for the first time in the IESL and was the Chairman of the IESL Sports Club for 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 sessions.

As Engineers, we will have to face enormous challenges in next few years, especially with regard to booming private engineering education, encroachment of non-qualified professionals into the fields of engineering and possible flooding of professionals & products to the local industries/markets though proposed bilateral trade agreements. As a Council Member I have taken every effort in respective forums to stand against aforementioned challenges and safeguard the rights of our members.