University of Liverpool, known also as the original red brick university, is one of the prestigious universities within the United Kingdom. Being one of the universities belonging to the Russell Group, which includes the world’s top most universities, attracts a large number of international and local students each year. This year, as Sri Lankans, we have reason to celebrate as one of our own has claimed the title of being the top performer among the master’s students in the 2021 January intake.
Sasanka Chaparanga Nugawela, who hails from Veyangoda, read for Advanced Computer Science and clinched the title of Best Performer among all of the Master’s students in the fields of Advanced Computer Science, Computer Science, Data Science and AI, Medicine, Business Management, Agriculture, Psychology, English, Music, and Arts. The graduation ceremony, which was held in May, included a speech by him, a privilege which was provided to him on the basis of his achievement as the best performer. This can be viewed on demand at the University’s YouTube channel.
Nugawela is the elder of the two children of Nugawela Pathirannehelage Wijerathne, retired People’s Bank manager, and Mrs. Keppetipola Pathirannehelage Lalitha Chandrani Senehelatha, a retired school teacher. His only sibling, Miss Buddhi Chapa Miyurangi, is reading medicine at the University of Karapitiya.
He is married to Chapa Dhanushi Wijesooriya and acknowledges her as a major source of inspiration and support in the pursuit of his goals. To quote him, “It would not have been possible to even come to the UK, let alone study and to get such a good result, if it was not for Chapa and her parents. I am particularly grateful towards her, for being supportive throughout my studies as well as prior to that time.”
This exceptional student started his scholarly journey at the Hiripitiya Primary School, Veyangoda, before passing the scholarship exam with 172 marks and moving on to study at the Bandaranayake College, Gampaha. There, he sat for the O/L and A/L examinations, obtaining 10 A passes and 4 A passes in them, respectively. He obtained a top island rank at the A/L exam and that allowed him to attend the University of Moratuwa on merit basis, where he studied Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering. He was on the Dean’s List at the university, multiple times.
In May 2015, he graduated with a second upper distinction and joined Millennium Information Technology (LSEG Technology), Malabe after graduation. In 2019 September, he joined Wiley Technology’s Data Science and Engineering team as a Senior Software Engineer.
He joined the University of Liverpool’s Advanced Computer Science Master’s degree program in January 2021. Unfortunately, this was amid the grim times when the Covid-19 pandemic was ravaging the world. After a fast paced course of three Semesters; split by only a week between each other, it concluded in January this year.
He said he knew that he had a distinction right away, but that he did not know that he had the highest marks among the 180 students graduating alongside him, until two weeks prior to the ceremony. The students for the program came from the UK, India, China, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and many other countries.
Nugawela said that he felt humbled to know that his efforts bore fruits in this manner, but felt also proud, since his efforts brought the best level of recognition he could have had hoped for.