Asia Pacific Case Studies: Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Integrated Energy Initiatives and Impacts

In this session, a range of examples from the energy and power industry in Asia is presented, and projects and programs where social inclusion considerations were assessed and addressed are also discussed. The panelists identify social inclusion issues, key project design features addressing these issues, implementation and processes involved, and results achieved, if any.

Udayanga Hemapala

Prof. Udayanga Hemapala is the current Secretary of the Ministry of Energy in Sri Lanka. He graduated in 2004 with a BSc in engineering (first-class honors) degree specializing in electrical engineering. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Genova, Italy in 2009.  He was promoted to the post of Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering with effect in 2017 and then served as the Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering. Now, he is serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering.

Jaimes Kolantharaj

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Jaimes Kolantharaj is a Principal Energy Specialist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), outposted in India Resident Mission as the country focal for energy sector operations, while also supporting operations in the Maldives and Sri Lanka. He brings extensive experience in project processing and implementation, managing a diverse portfolio of energy sector initiatives across South Asia. His work spans multiple subsectors, including renewable energy, conventional generation, power transmission, distribution, and digitalization.