Prof. K.K.Y.W. Perera, B.Sc. (Engineering), M.Sc, Ph.D., D.Sc.(Hony) is a Chartered Engineer, F.I.E. (SL), FIET (UK). and a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, Sri Lanka. Prof. Perera has been the President of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka and the General President of the Sri Lanka Association for Advancement of Science, and also the Chairman of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (presently IET), Sri Lanka Branch.
His research earned him the SLAAS Merit award. Professor Perera was conferred the National Honours Vidya Jyothi in1993 by His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka for outstanding scientific and technological achievements including original research. He also won an Award for his Research from the National Science Foundation (2013) and received a Presidential Award in 2014 for the best invention in the field of Engineering completed in 2012. Professor Perera was honored with Eminent Engineer status (2015) by the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka. He also received from Sri Lanka Inventors Commission the DASIS award for the most outstanding invention (2015). Professor Perera was also awarded an Honorary D.Sc. degree from the University of Moratuwa. He has authored over 50 papers and 3 books.
Prof. Perera was the first (founder) Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa (1972). He was also the first Professor of Electronic Engineering in Sri Lanka’s University system. Later he served as the President of the Katubedda Campus of the then-single University of Sri Lanka. He has also served terms as Chairman of NERD Centre (founder); Chairman of Energy Conservation Fund (founder); Chairman, Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies; Chairman, Ceylon Electricity Board; Chairman, Sri Lanka Telecom Board; Chairman, Lanka Transformers Pvt. (Ltd.); Chairman, Computer Information & Technology Council (CINTEC) and in several other Boards including Lanka Electricity Company (LECO) and National Science & Technology Commission (NASTEC). He served for more than 10 years as the Secretary, Ministry of Power & Energy, which overlooked the entire energy scenario (Electricity, Petroleum, Gas, Bio-fuels).
Appointed in 2014, Professor K.K.Y.W. Perera is presently (2022) holding the position of Chancellor of the University of Moratuwa.