SLIIT achieves historic success and shines as star performer at 26th National ICT Awards - NBQSA 2024

SLIIT achieved historic success and shone brightly as a star performer at the 26th National ICT Awards - NBQSA 2024, held recently. Over the years, SLIIT has consistently pioneered innovative projects and garnered numerous prestigious awards. This year, SLIIT secured an impressive collection of awards, including one Gold, two Silver, and one Bronze.

The prestigious annual event, organized by the Sri Lankan chapter of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, was held at the Monarch Imperial on October 23, 2024. The awards celebrated and recognised outstanding achievements in the country's ICT sector, especially individuals and organisations who have developed high-quality products and solutions.

Prof. Nuwan Kodagoda, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Computing at SLIIT, said, “SLIIT's historic success at the 26th National ICT Awards - NBQSA 2024 demonstrates our persistent pursuit of excellence and innovation in the field of information technology. SLIIT’s students and the faculty have once again showcased exceptional capabilities and brought immense pride to the institution.”

SLIIT’s accolades reflect the institution’s unwavering commitment to ICT innovation and excellence. SLIIT secured a Gold award for its project ‘FlexiMind’—a bilingual app that supports children with learning disorders through interactive modules, fostering essential skills and early intervention. Under the Tertiary Business category, the project was supervised by Dr. Dilshan De Silva and developed by students Vithya Sangkavi, Kaushani Wijesundara, Lochani Jayawardhane, and Arani Wijerathne. This landmark project will proudly represent Sri Lanka at the upcoming Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) Awards in Brunei this December.

In the same category, the ‘Lankan Legacy’—an AR app for Polonnaruwa Vatadage, offering immersive heritage preservation through digital reconstruction and artifact insights—secured the Silver award. This project was also supervised by Dr. Dilshan De Silva, with Samitha Vidhanaarachchi serving as Co-supervisor. The project team comprised Ravindu Yasith, Piumika Saranga, Vishwa Jayawardhana, and Huzni Hussain.

SLIIT clinched another Silver award in the Postgraduate category for the ‘DataEye’ project, developed by Semini Perera. DataEye is a tool that extracts insights from data, providing fast, actionable analytics for decision-making. This project too was supervised by Dr. Dilshan De Silva, with external advice from Lasitha Petthawadu.

The ‘RetinaX’—a retinal health app enabling early issue detection through photo uploads to support proactive eye care—received a Bronze award in the Tertiary Technology category. The project was supervised by Dr. Dinuka Wijendra and co-supervised by Jenny Krishara, with team members Thamindu Gamage, Chathurika Dombepola, Kaushalya Premarathne, and Charith Jayasingha.

Prof. Pradeep Abeygunawardhana, Dean of the Faculty of Computing, added, “The achievement reflects our commitment to nurturing future leaders in ICT and their desire for product development and SLIIT’s role in driving the nation's technological advancement. Congratulations to all the award winners and their mentors, whose dedication and expertise have been instrumental in our success."

The outstanding achievement at NBQSA 2024 continues SLIIT's tradition of excellence in information technology education and innovation. SLIIT recognizes the contributions of Dr. Dilshan De Silva, who supervised three award-winning projects, and Dr. Dinuka Wijendra for their exceptional guidance and commitment to students' success.