Dr. Rohantha Athukorala Awarded Rotarian of the Year
Dr. Rohantha Athukorala has been honoured with the prestigious Rotarian of the Year 2025/26 award, recognising his exceptional contribution to Rotary through project management, strategic communications, brand building, and community impact across Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
“Sri Lanka must become a $200 billion economy whilst focussing on poverty eradication, and each of us must do our duty.” Dr. Rohantha Athukorala
Dr. Rohantha Athukorala, one of the most respected Rotarians in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, was awarded the prestigious “Rotarian of the Year 2025/26” award by Governor Delvin Pereira at the Rotary Awards Ceremony, popularly referred to as the “Rotary Oscars,” held at ITC Ratnadipa.
The ceremony was graced by distinguished global Rotary leaders, including Immediate Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick and Past Rotary International President and Rotary International Trustee K.R. Ravindran, adding further significance to the honour bestowed on Dr. Athukorala.
A Recognition of Service, Strategy and Impact
The award recognises Dr. Athukorala’s exceptional contribution to Rotary through his expertise in project management, strategic communications and brand building. Over the years, he has consistently helped elevate Rotary’s profile and strengthen its impact across Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
His ability to combine professional excellence with community service has made him a valued contributor to Rotary initiatives. Successive District Governors have repeatedly identified and leveraged his strengths in project management and brand building for meaningful community service.
A Distinguished Rotary Journey
This recognition marks the third major Rotary award received by Dr. Athukorala. In 2019, he was honoured as the “Most Outstanding Rotarian of the Year” by then District Governor Dushan Soza. In the 2015 Rotary year, he was awarded “The Exceptional Rotarian” under District Governor Gowri Rajan.
In 2021, he achieved international recognition when Rotary International selected him as one of only six “People of Action” honourees worldwide. He became the first Sri Lankan Rotarian in the country’s history to receive this distinction, under the leadership of District Governor Ajith Weerasinghe.
Professional Excellence Beyond Rotary
Beyond Rotary, Dr. Athukorala has built an outstanding 21-year career in British multinationals including Reckitt Benckiser, Unilever and DiverseyLever. His area of expertise lies in building brands and expanding markets. “These same skills became a defining factor in his Rotary success,” said Governor Delvin Pereira, who is a banker by profession.
Dr. Athukorala also holds the unique distinction of having served Sri Lanka as Chairman of both the Sri Lanka Export Development Board and Sri Lanka Tourism, two institutions that play a pivotal role in connecting Sri Lanka with global markets.
A Career Connected to Global Markets
He also served with the United Nations Office for Project Services for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, during a period in which the organisation secured global recognition for project excellence. An alumnus of Harvard University, he currently serves as Vice Chairman of the World Rural Tourism Organisation based in Luncuun, China.
He is also the CEO of Clootrack Software Labs, an AI-based brand mapping Indian company, and serves as a Director of the Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology and Lotus Hydro Power PLC, among other professional roles.
Dr. Athukorala’s latest recognition as Rotarian of the Year 2025/26 stands as a powerful reflection of how professional expertise, strategic thinking and a deep sense of public duty can come together to create lasting community impact.
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