Two former GRÓ FTP fellows in key leadership roles in Sri Lanka’s fisheries sector
Dr. K.H.M.L. Amaralal, who joined the programme in 2009 specialising in Policy and Planning, has been appointed Director General of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA). Since his fellowship in Iceland, he has remained closely connected to GRÓ FTP, including returning to Reykjavík for the World Seafood Congress in 2017. His PhD research at the University of Colombo was supervised by his former GRÓ FTP supervisor Dr. Ögmundur Knútsson and focused on the economic efficiency of Sri Lanka’s deep-sea fishing fleet.
Dr. B.K. Kolitha Kamal Jinadasa, FTP fellow from 2010, was appointed in 2025 as Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources. During his training in Iceland, he specialised in Quality Management at Matís, focusing on laboratory standards for seafood safety. Kolitha received a PhD in chemistry in 2020 and worked as a senior scientist at NARA in Colombo with more than 100 publications contributing greatly to Sri Lankan food safety in fish. Over the years, he has maintained ties with GRÓ FTP and most recently visited Iceland in February 2026 for the FAO COFI Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management, when he met with programme staff to discuss future collaboration and training opportunities.
Both alumni have had careers at NARA, FTP´s long-standing partner in Sri Lanka, and reflect the lasting impact of GRÓ FTP capacity building in the country, with 30 fellows to date, who have participated in the six-month training programme in Iceland. GRÓ FTP is proud to see two former fellows step into these important leadership roles and look forward to following their contributions at the highest levels to fisheries governance and development in Sri Lanka.
