RD Gunaratne
| Ranil Dion Gunaratne | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sri Lanka |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Education |
University of Colombo S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia |
| Occupation | Director National Science and Technology Commission |
| Employer | University of Colombo |
| Known for | National Chess Player, CEO science and Technology Commission, Chess Administrator, Chemist, Academic |
| Title | Doctor |
| Board member of | President Sri Lanka Chess Federation, Vice President Sri Lanka Chess Federation, Secretary Sri Lanka Chess Federation, Secretary International Relations Institute of Chemistry |
Dr Ranil Dion Gunaratne (B.Sc. (Colombo), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Cornell), F.I.Chem.C) is a Sri Lankan chess player, chess administrator, chemist, scientist, academic and science administrator.
Gunaratne, like his grandfather E. B. Wikramanayake, was educated at S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia. and Faculty of Science, University of Colombo. He was Head Prefect of the College (1976) and was a member of the English Debating and Drama Societies, a Junior Librarian, Co-Editor of the College Magazine (with Chanaka Amaratunga and Richard de Zoysa, Leader of the Classical Quiz competition team which won the National competition (with Rohan Edirisinghe, Richard de Zoysa Uthum Herat, Chanaka Amaratunga and Devaka Fernando), a member of the Science Quiz team which reached the semi finals of the national competition (with Uthum Herat Professor Chandu de Silva and Devaka Fernando), Tent Secretary of the Royal-Thomian Tent Committee and President of the Photographic Society. He was Captain of the Chess team in 1974, President Chess Society and was awarded Colours in Chess. Other classmates included Russell de Mel and Ivan Corea.
Gunaratne was a chess player of national and international repute considered a match for the best Indian players at the time along with Christopher Parakrama, and the Athurupahane brothers,. After retirement from competition he went on to serve the Sri Lanka Chess Federation as Secretary, Vice President and President. Gunaratne also served in similar capacities to the Chess Association of Sri Lanka in which he was a founder member.
Gunaratne returned after completing his PHD at Cornell university to join the Faculty of Science University of Colombo in the Department of Chemistry where he served on the career guidance and welfare committees.
Gunaratne is a Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry, served as secretary international relations of the Institute of chemistry and was involved in delivering citations for which he was commended.
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