Prof. Rohana Kuruppu receives coveted Comp TI award from Textile Institute, UK

Prof. R U Kuruppu, receiving the Comp TI award from the World President of the Textile Institute, UK, Prof. Malgorzata Zimniewska, who is from the Institute of Natural Fibres & Medicinal Plants, Poland

Prof. Rohana Kuruppu was invited as a speaker at the Textile Institute World Conference (TIWC) held in July 2023 at the University of Huddersfield, UK. His title was, ‘Designing a curriculum to develop a sustainable workforce for the textile/clothing industry’. He made a special reference to developing countries. He discussed the pathway and procedure for a sustainable product.
Professor Rohana Upendra Kuruppu PhD., FTI, C Text has been bestowed upon the most prestigious award, the Companion Member of the Textile Institute, UK (Comp TI) at the  92nd annual Textile Institute World Conference (TIWC) at the University of Huddersfield, UK. 
The Companion member of the Textile Institute was instituted in 1956 and limited to 50 living members and Council may grant to those who substantially advanced the general interests of the textile industry. In other words, it would mean those textile professionals across the world for their outstanding and exceptional work to the textile industry. Prof. Kuruppu was awarded the Institute Medal in 2011 for recognizing the distinguished service to the textile industry and to the institute in general made by a member.

Late Vincent Pandita, the Secretary of the Ministry of Textile Industries was the first Sri Lankan to receive Comp TI award in 1990 but he declined to hold on to it thus he does not be considered as a recipient of this award. At the time Prof. Kuruppu was the founder Director of the ministry of textiles owned and World Bank funded, the Clothing Industry Training Institute (CITI) which was the prime project directed by Pandita.
The Textile Institute, UK is a professional organization for those engaged in clothing, footwear, and textiles. The institute was founded in 1910 and incorporated in England by a Royal Charter granted in 1925.  The Textile Institute (TI) works to promote professionalism in textiles and its related industries worldwide.
Prof. Kuruppu has 52 years of experience in the textile/clothing industry out of which 45 years as a frontline teacher in textiles in universities and vocational training institutes. 

Prof. Kuruppu returned home from England in 1978 after graduating in textiles and joined the pioneering teaching staff at the University of Moratuwa. He was instrumental in setting up the Physical Testing of Textile Laboratory which was assisted by the UNDP funds. 
This being the pioneering cotton fibre testing laboratory in the country at the time, it served the students and the industry. He then moved on to the ministry of textile industries in 1984 where he set up the World Bank funded, the Clothing Industry Training Institute (CITI) Ratmalana. After a very successful stint at CITI, he joined with Ashroff Omar to set up the Brandix College of Clothing Technology in 1996. 
He is now with the Sri Lanka Technological Campus Research University where he has introduced two Bachelor of Science degrees and number of Diploma courses for the industry. He is in the process of building ‘factory in the class room’ concept at the SLTC university with the help of the industry.
Prof. Kuruppu graduated in textile technology from Derby University, UK and then an honours degree from Manchester followed by a Master of Science from the Strathclyde University, UK. 
He was awarded the Albert Thompson Memorial prize for outstanding success in textile technology at Derby in 1978 and then Cunningham Medal for postgraduate studies at the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry of Strathclyde in 1982. 
He has two doctorates one from the OUSL, Nawala, Sri Lanka in 2005 and the other from the RMIT University, Australia in 2009. He is a Fellow of the Textile Institute, UK. Prof. Kuruppu is the current Chairman of the Textile Institute Sri Lanka Section.