Telecom industry joins CSSL Jaffna GenZ Chapter launch

Airtel Chief Executive Ashish Chandra, SLT-Mobitel Group Chief Executive Lalith Seneviratne, TRCSL DG Oshada Senanayake, Dialog Axiata Group Chief Executive Supun Weerasinghe, SLT Chief Executive Kiththi Perera, Lanka Bell Managing Director Dr. Prasad Samarasinghe, Mobitel Chief Executive Chandiak Witharana, Hutch Chief Executive Thirukumar Nadarasa, CSSL President Damith Hettihewa and CSSL Exco Member/Moderator Heminda Jayaweera at the virtual event on Zoom

The Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL) launched its second GenZ Chapter at University of Jaffna and the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) partnered with CSSL to extend an opportunity for telecommunication company CEOs to interact with students of University of Jaffna and other CSSL GenZ Chapters.

The GenZ Chapter launch was organised by CSSL to mark the Northern Road Show organised by the Digital Economy Team of Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka. 

Telecommunication Regulator Commission Director General Oshada Senanayake graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. Senanayake addressing the gathering which included ICT industry leaders from both Colombo and northern region, outlined the plans of TRCSL to connect all remote villages in the northern region under TRCSL’s ‘Gamata Sannivedanaya’ program enabling students from Jaffna peninsula and rest of the northern region to have better connectivity for online education. It also enables more digital citizens to participate on digital economy and have convenient and cost-effective access to digital services.

Dialog Axiata Group Chief Executive Supun Weerasinghe, SLT-Mobitel Group Chief Executive Lalith Seneviratne, Airtel Chief Executive Ashish Chandra, Hutch Chief Executive Thirukumar Nadarasa, Lanka Bell Managing Director Dr. Prasad Samarasinghe, SLT Chief Executive Kiththi Perera, Mobitel Chief Executive Chandika Witharana and CSSL President Damith Hettihewa participated in the student interaction session with University of Jaffna GenZ Chapter and responded to questions raised by CSSL GenZs moderated by Executive Council member and Student Councillor Heminda Jayaweera.

CSSL undergraduate chapters branded as CSSL GenZ chapters and will function as mini Computer Society in each university. Computer Society of Sri Lanka President Damith Hettihewa and Patron of University of CSSL GenZ Chapter Dr. Thabotharan Kathurawelu signed the agreement by adding respective digital signatures on line to launch the CSSL Student Chapter of University of Jaffna.

CSSL President Eng. Damith Hettihewa welcoming the dignitaries from ICTA, academia and industry about the initiative said, “Forming of CSSL GenZ university chapter network has several objectives. Key objectives are ‘engaging’ with the future ICT professionals at an early stage, nurturing future leaders, fostering professionalism and ethics amongst the undergraduate community. CSSL GenZ Chapters also aligns well with its ‘Engage’ pillar of CSSL’s 2021 strategy framework.

“We also have a very special and urgent need for creating the awareness of the I4.0 opportunity with computing undergraduates in local universities. We are on the eve of the 4th Industrial Revolution. Industry 4.0 will create new wealthy nations similar to Europe, the Americas, and Japan which became rich nations as a result of the first three industrial revolutions. CSSL advocates Sri Lanka to leverage Industry 4.0 to become a wealthy nation,” Hettihewa further said.

Having established in 1976, the CSSL is the apex body for ICT professionals and the longest standing ICT association in the country. The CSSL is a member of the South East Asia Regional Computer Confederation (SEARCC), International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) and provisional signatory to the Soul Accord, an internationally acclaimed degree accreditation program through which CSSL brings international standards on ICT related degrees to Sri Lanka.