Dr. S.Mohanadas
B.Sc Chemistry (Hons), Ph.D Agric. Chemistry (Adelaide), C.Chem., F. I. Chem
Dr. Subramaniam Mohanadas is a chemist and academic. He is the first Chancellor of the University of Vavuniya with effect from 1st August 2021. He is a native of Jaffna, studied at Jaffna Stanley College and the University of Colombo from where he received a BSc Special Degree in Chemistry in 1971.
He became a Temporary Assistant Lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Colombo in 1971/1972. Thereafter he joined the Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka as Research Officer and served there for 12 years at various positions until 1984. He then worked for 02 years at the newly formed Palmyrah Development Board of Sri Lanka as its first General Manager. He then joined the Department of Chemistry, the University of Jaffna as Senior Lecturer and after 04 years he became the Head of the Department of Agricultural Chemistry at the newly established Faculty of Agriculture, Kilinochchi in June 1990. After he was given the responsibility of establishing a new Northern Province Affiliated University College at Vavuniya on 1st Nov. 1991 and served as the first Director of the Northern Province Affiliated University College. Later, he returned to the Faculty of Agriculture, Kilinochchi and served as Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture until Dec.1995. In January 1996, he became the Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Agricultural Chemistry and served there until he became the Rector of the Vavuniya Campus on 1st September 2000. He continued as Rector until 19th March 2003 and then he became the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jaffna for three years.
After retirement in 2007, he served in a number of positions in higher education management such as a member of University Grants Commission, member of University Council, Consultant to Quality Assurance of IRQUE project of World Bank, Consultant to Change Management of REVO project of GTZ and Member of Standing Committee on Quality Assurance and Accreditation, SCAQA.
Outside the field of Higher Education, Dr. S.Mohanadas served in a number of honourable positions until now, notably in the field of Coconut and Palmyrah. On a number of occasions and at present he has been serving as a member of the Board of Directors of Palmyrah Development Board (PDB) of Sri Lanka, President of Research Advisory Committee of PDB, and Consultant to Coconut Processing Division of Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka and President of Northern Province Coconut Growers Association.
In addition to the above, Dr. S. Mohanadas has been involved in other national ventures. He has been the President of the Institute of Chemistry (2012/13). As a Chemist, he has been continuously serving as an examiner for GCE (A/L) chemistry subject until now. H.E. the then President of Sri Lanka awarded the title of Vidhya Jyothi (2004).