Dr. A. Atputharajah was awarded with the outstanding engineer award of IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES) chapter 2014. He received this prestigious award during the Annual General Meeting of IEEE PES Sri Lankan Chapter-2014 at University of Moratuwa on 24th January 2015, as a recognition of his outstanding contribution towards power engineering profession. This award remunerates his remarkable services such as his leadership as a chairman of IEEE PES Sri Lanka chapter 2012/13, his immense contribution in field of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in Sri Lanka and his accomplishment in establishing a new Engineering Faculty in a war affected zone.
Dr. A. Atputharajah served to professionals in Sri Lanka through IEEE Sri Lanka Section (Assistant Secretary and then Treasurer), IEEE PES SL Chapter (few positions including Chairman) and ICIIS Conference committees (chair of different sections) by holding many positions from 2006 till 2013 while working at the University of Peradeniya. He coordinated with team of professionals and organized over 70 workshops, seminars, talks and tutorials to share the knowledge among the professionals specialized in the field of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
He was released from University of Peradeniya, in November 2013, to serve the University of Jaffna to establish the Faculty of Engineering with the approval of University councils. His service as the Acting Dean of the newly established Faculty of Engineering, University of Jaffna continues to date. The faculty has now grown up with 10 Senior Lecturers/Lecturers at its permanent carder, which includes 5 PhD holders and still growing up on a faster pace.
The human resources are most important to establish the Faculty in the correct direction especially at its initial stages. Therefore, the faculty is in urgent need of the highly qualified professionals to return back to the country and serve the nation through this University.