Kasun Tharaka Wickramasuriya

Person
◀ ▶
ICANN group	Fellowship Program, I* Organization
Organization	ICTA
Region	AP
Country	Sri Lanka
Achievements

Kasun Tharaka Wickramasuriya is a Senior Manager of Capacity Building for the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) https://icta.lk/, Founding Chairman and Director of the Lanka School on Internet Governance (LKSIG) https://lksig.org/, and the former Secretary of the Internet Society Sri Lanka Chapter (ISOC-LK). He is a highly competent ICT Professional, Transformation Strategist, and Community Development Expert with extensive experience in the ICT sector. He has over 12 years of experience in the corporate and public sectors. He is a mentor with experience and competencies in ICT capacity building, digital transformation, digital inclusion, digital economy, digital education, change management, community informatics, community empowerment, and Internet governance. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, and a BSc. (Hons) in Information and Communication Technology (BSc ICT) from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. As an academic, his research areas are Digital Transformation, ICT for Community Empowerment, eGovernment, ICT for Development, ICT Capacity Building, Internet Governance, eHealth, and ICT Policy Development. He has worked for many organizations in the ICT sector, the Tourism and Hospitality industry, the Banking Sector, Academia, and the Government Sector. Moreover, he coordinates and manages ICT capacity-building initiatives for the community sector and government Sector. He is involved with eGovernment and DIgital Transformation capacity-building projects to develop digitally empowered communities and build a digitally enabled country. He participated in the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Program on Financial Inclusion and Digital Transformation held at the National Institute of Labour Economics Research & Development 2023, APSIG and APrIGF 2022 in Singapore, APIGA 2017 in Seoul, South Korea, SAKURA Exchange Programme in Science in 2017 in Japan, and ICTD 2012 at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA.

Career History

Senior Manager - Capacity Building (April 2021 - Present) Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka

Visiting Lecturer - College of Chemical Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Ceylon (October 2022 - Present)

Project Manager - Capacity Building and Digital Government (March 2016 - April 2021) Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka

Authorized Officer (June 2013 - March 2016) Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka

Visiting Lecturer (February 2012 - March 2016) Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management (SLITHM)

Business Analyst (Aug 2011 – May 2013) Skynet Information Systems (Pvt.) Ltd

Junior Executive (Sep 2010 – Aug 2011) Sampath Bank PLC

Research Project Officer (Feb 2010 – Sep 2010) Company NameUniversity of Colombo School of Computing

Research Officer (Oct 2009 – Feb 2010) MG Consultants (Pvt) Ltd (MGC)

Management Trainee - Project Monitoring and Evaluation (Feb 2008 – Aug 2008) Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka

Internet Governance Engagement

Internet Governance Forum (UN IGF)

UN IGF National Coordinator for Sri Lanka

The United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) serves to bring people together from various stakeholder groups in discussions on digital public policy. While it does not produce negotiated outcomes, the IGF informs and inspires those with policy-making power in both the public and private sectors. As a year-round process, the IGF includes policy, outreach, and community and capacity-building activities, all dedicated to facilitating a common understanding of how to maximise digital opportunities and address digital risks and challenges. IGF intersessional work culminates in annual meetings, where delegates discuss current and critical issues, share good practices and exchange policy recommendations with one another. The IGF’s resulting outputs are transmitted to global and national decision-making bodies.

https://www.intgovforum.org/en/content/asia-pacific-regional-group

IGF 2024 - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

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Asia Pacific School on Internet Governance (APSIG)

APSIG 2023

APSIG 2023 is the 2023 edition of the capacity-building initiative of the Asia-Pacific School on Internet Governance was held in Manila, Philippines, from November 26th to November 29th. Kasun Tharaka served as a Member of the Fellowship Committee for APSIG 2023, contributing to the selection and mentoring of emerging leaders in the Internet governance ecosystem.

https://www.apsig.asia/apsig2023/

APSIG 2021

Kasun Tharaka played a pivotal role in organizing APSIG 2021, which was successfully held in Negombo, Sri Lanka. Serving as the Leader of the Co-Host Team representing the ISOC Sri Lanka Chapter (Secretary, ISOC Sri Lanka Chapter) and a member of the Local Organizing Committee, he coordinated closely with both local and international stakeholders to ensure the smooth execution of the event. His responsibilities included leading the co-host team, consulting on forum activities, and working collaboratively with the global organizing committee, fellows, delegates, partners, and other stakeholders—contributing significantly to the overall success of APSIG 2021.

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Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF)

Kasun Tharaka is a member of MultiStakeholder Group (MSG) of APrIGF since 2022.

APrIGF 2025

• Event Committee member
• Fellowship Committee member

APrIGF 2024

• Event Committee member
• Stakeholder Engagement Committee member

APrIGF 2023

In 2023, he served as a member of the Program Committee for APrIGF and actively contributed to its activities, including reviewing session proposals, shaping the agenda, and ensuring alignment with regional priorities and thematic focus areas.

https://ap.rigf.asia/members/#WICKR108

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IGF Sri Lanka

Kasun Tharaka has been actively involved in advancing Internet Governance initiatives in Sri Lanka through his leadership and organizational roles in multiple national IGF events. He served as the Lead Organizer of the Women Internet Governance Forum (WIGF) 2020 – Sri Lanka, a platform focused on empowering women in digital governance. Kasun was a Key Organizer of First ever IGF in Sri Lanka IGF Sri Lanka 2016 and IGF Sri Lanka 2017, contributing to the successful execution of the Main IGF event, Women IGF, and Student IGF sessions. Most recently, he served as the Lead Organizer of IGF Sri Lanka 2024, working collaboratively with national and international stakeholders to foster inclusive dialogue on pressing Internet governance issues.

https://igfsrilanka.org/

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Internet Society

Secretary of Internet Society (ISOC), Sri Lanka Chapter (2018/2019)

Secretary of Internet Society (ISOC), Sri Lanka Chapter (2019/2020)

Executive Committee Member of Internet Society (ISOC), Sri Lanka Chapter (From 2013 to 2022)

Member of Internet Society Since 2009

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Asian, Australasian and Pacific Islands Regional At-Large Organization (APRALO)

Member - Asian, Australasian and Pacific Islands Regional At-Large Organization

Fellowships

• ICANN 82 - Seattle, United States of America

https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/icann82-fellowship-participants-2024-10-31-en

• Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Program on Financial Inclusion and Digital Transformation - National Institute of Labour Economics Research & Development, New Delhi, India, 2023
• Asia Pacific School on Internet Governance (APSIG) and Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) - Singapore, 2022

https://ap.rigf.asia/news/2022/aprigf-apsig-2022-joint-fellowships-results/

• Asia Pacific Internet Governance Academy 2017 (APIGA 2017) - Ewha Womens University, Seoul, South Korea 2017

https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GSEAPAC/pages/114298406/APIGA+2018

• Japan-Asia Youth Exchange program in Science (SAKURA Exchange Program in Science), 2017 - Tokyo, Japan
• Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD 2012) - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States 2012

https://dl.acm.org/doi/proceedings/10.1145/2160673

Education

Master in Business Administration (MBA)- University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka

BSc in ICT (Information and Communication Technology) - University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Program on Financial Inclusion and Digital Transformation - National Institute of Labour Economics Research & Development, India

Asia Pacific Internet Governance Academy (APIGA) - Seoul, South Korea

Publications

• Health Hazards Among Sri Lankan IT Professionals (HHASIP), published at the e-Asia International IT conference on 03rd December 2009 at BMICH, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• “Localization of LimeSurvey Software” paper was published at the Conference on Localized Systems Applications (CLSA 2010) on 20-21 August 2010 at Ramada Resort, Kalutara, Sri Lanka
• “Health is Wealth and Share the Wealth of Health” was published at the e-Health Sri Lanka 2010 on 15-16 September 2010 at Water’s Edge, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• “Health Hazards Among Sri Lanka IT Professionals & An Effective Implementation of a FOSS Surveying Tool”, UCSC Research Symposium, 2009 at University of Colombo School of Computing, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Awards

WSIS Champions Award 2024 - Lighting Digital Capacity Building Drive

Member - (MCS)- CSSL - Computer Society of Sri Lanka

Member - MIM (SL) - IMSL - Institute of Managers Sri Lanka

Associate Member - Health Informatics Society of Sri Lanka

Member - MSG, Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF)

Member of Sakura Science Club, Japan

Member of the Internet Society

Asia/Australia/Pacific, according to the ICANN Geographic Regions (ICANN Geographic Regions).

Internet Governance Forum

Internet Society

World Summit on the Information Society