NovaPact Consultants

  • info@novapact.lk
  • +94 70 346 0173

About Us

our Vision

Driving catalytic local growth that is inclusive, sustainable, and transformative

our Mission

We partner with local governments, planning authorities, and non-governmental organizations to unlock growth, improve efficiency, and address complex challenges. Through expert advisory, data-driven insights, and tailored solutions.

NovaPact Consultants is a technical expertise and management consultancy firm, legally established and registered in 2025. The firm aims to strengthen local government bodies, planning authorities, and non-governmental organizations toward locally led, inclusive, and sustainable growth, offering a wide range of tools and services. Our team includes lead consultant specialists, advisory consultants, and independent consultants with extensive expertise in the industry.

Advisory Consultant

Prof. P. K. S. MAHANAMA

Chartered Town Planner | SWM Specialist | Policy Advisor

Professor Mahanama is a Professor and Emeritus Professor of Town & Country Planning at the Department of Town & Country Planning, Faculty of Architecture, University of Moratuwa. He is also a Fellow Member of the Institute of Town Planners, Sri Lanka (ITPSL) and has served as the President of the institute. Additionally, he has held the position of President of the Asian Planning Schools Association (APSA).

With over 40 years of service at the University of Moratuwa, Professor Mahanama has held several key administrative roles, including Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, and Head of the Department of Town & Country Planning. He also contributed to the Western Region Megapolis Planning Project as a Regional Planning Specialist. Professor Mahanama has served on various advisory boards and executive committees, including: National Housing Advisory Committee (NHAC) of the Ministry of Housing and Construction, Tech City Development Project of the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development, Climate Change Adaptation Committee of the Ministry of Environment and Renewable Energy and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of the National Physical Planning Department

He has provided technical expertise for several key important projects, including preparation of a Geographical Information System (GIS) Database for Land Use Planning and Urban Management in the Gampaha Municipal Council Area, disaster Resilient City Development Strategies for Sri Lankan Cities – funded by UN-Habitat (Phases 1 & 2), a Study on Alternative Planning Approaches to Integrate Climate Change Adaptation into Development Plans of Coastal Urban Areas, Sri Lanka – funded by the University Grants Commission, Sri Lanka (Phase 1), development of climate resilient action Plans for Coastal Urban Areas in Sri Lanka (CCSL) – in collaboration with the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA). Professor Mahanama has authored over 30 research publications, covering a wide range of topics including spatial planning, disaster-responsive planning, innovations in road networks, climate change adaptation, and the use of participatory GIS in disaster response.

Senior Management and Consulting Specialists

Upasaka Ekanayaka

Town Planning and Waste Management Specialists

Upasaka Ekanayaka, a Chartered Town Planner and General Secretary of the Institute of Town Planners Sri Lanka (ITPSL) since 2014, brings over 24 years of multidisciplinary experience in urban planning, solid waste management (SWM), and local governance. He holds a BA in Political Science and MA in International Relations from the Colombo University and MSc in Town and Country Planning from University of Moratuwa.

Currently serving as the General Secretary of ITPSL and Council Member of the Organization of Professional Associations (OPA), Ekanayaka has led projects across public, private, and development sectors, including INGOs, donor-funded initiatives, and grassroots programs. His technical expertise includes 3R training, waste characterization, COSA analysis, SWM capacity indexing, and route optimization.

He has collaborated with organizations such as USAID, ADB, UNDP, UN-Habitat, ESCAP, and the Asia Foundation, contributing to urban development and waste sector reforms in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. With a strong track record in planning, capacity building, and policy advisory, Ekanayaka continues to drive sustainable solutions and community-focused innovations in the urban development landscape.

Ekanayaka brings immense knowledge and experience to NovaPact Consultants, primarily serving as a founding partner. His main fields of expertise are as follows:

  • Urban and Infrastructure Planning
  • Policy, Governance, and Regulatory Frameworks
  • Waste Management and Resource Recovery
  • Circular Economy and Business Models
  • Community Empowerment and Capacity Building
  • Expertise in Material Recovery Facilities (MRF)
  • Waste Analysis and Characterization Surveys (WACS)
  • 3R/SWM Cost of Service Analysis (COSA)
  • Assessing Funding Options for 3R/SWM Initiatives
  • Route Optimization for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
  • Landfill Operations and Maintenance
  • Development of Integrated Solid Waste Management Plans (ISWMP)

Rajah Shanmugarajah

Governance and Local Economic Development Specialists

Shanmugarajah is a results-driven development professional with over 20 years of experience, including 15 years dedicated to local government work.

Throughout his career, Shan has contributed to a range of impactful projects in areas such as career guidance and counselling, business revival and entrepreneurship development, economic sector development, local governance, local economic development, solid waste management, environmental governance, and the circular economy. Shan began his career in the development sector in 2005. Since then, he has worked with several local and international development agencies, including Swisscontact, the Federation of Sri Lankan Local Government Authorities, the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, USAID’s Clean Cities Blue Ocean program with Tetra Tech Engineering Services, and USAID’s Ocean Plastic Reduction Activity with The Asia Foundation.

He holds an MA in Development Studies and Public Policy from the Open University of Sri Lanka, an Executive MSc in Mass Communication from Asia e University, and a Bachelor’s in Commerce from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Additionally, he earned a Higher Diploma in International Relations with Merit pass from the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.

Shan is pleased to be part of the team at NovaPact Consultants, where he brings immense knowledge and experience as a founding partner. His main areas of expertise include:

  • Participatory Citizen Charter application for local government bodies
  • Local economic development initiatives with local government bodies
  • 3R/Solid waste management – cost and revenue analysis/ enforcement compliance review
  • 3R/Solid waste management – capacity assessment / Performance evaluation
  • Business counselling and entrepreneurship development
  • Material Recovery Facility Operational Management
  • Solid Waste Management plan for local government bodies
  • Root cause analysis & 3E’s applications for social change/ behavioural change
  • Economic sector development (PACA – Participatory Appraisal of Competitive Advantage)

B.K.G Dhanapala

Productivity and Community Engagement Specialists

Dhanapala is an enthusiastic and hard-working individual with a strong ambition to become a qualified professional in the fields of Community Development, Local Government, Productivity, and Training. His goal is to continuously enhance relevant skills in order to serve mankind to the best of his ability.

Dhanapala is a retired Community Development Officer (Super Grade) with over 31 years of experience in the Department of Local Government, Sri Lanka. He also served as the Officer-in-Charge of the Nawayalathena Local Government Training Centre – Central Province for seven years. Currently, he is a member of the National Judge Panel of the National Productivity Secretariat and an accredited national-level resource person in the fields of Local Government and Productivity.
His academic qualifications include Master of Arts in Political Science from University of Kelaniya, Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from University of Kelaniya. In addition, he also holds Diploma in Productivity from the National Productivity Secretariat, Sri Lanka (First batch) and earned Certificate Course in Rural Development from University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Dhanapala brings immense knowledge and experience to NovaPact Consultants, where he serves as a founding partner. His primary fields of expertise include:

  • Productivity enhancement tools for public service delivery institutions
  • Development and structuring of concept papers
  • Community development approaches and models
  • Application of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in local government authorities
  • Formulation of vision, mission, objectives, strategic plans, and action plans for local government authorities
  • Local government asset management
  • International benchmarking of self-generated income in local government
  • SWOT analysis
  • Methods for enhancing self-generated income and conducting research for local government
  • Gender and local governance

Independent Specialists

Mr. H.G.C. Jayathissa​

Mr. Jayathissa brings over forty-one years of experience in project and program implementation across the corporate sector, development sector, and local government. His core expertise....

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A.R. Anpalagan Croos

Mr. Cross is an experienced and dedicated development practitioner with over 26 years of expertise in community development, local governance, and participatory training. He has a proven track record as a master trainer....

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Mr. A.J.M Irshad

Mr. A.J.M. Irshad is the former Assistant Commissioner of Local Government for the Eastern Province. He is a courageous and dedicated professional with over 36 years of experience, possessing strong administrative and coordination skills of the highest calibre......

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Ms. Kalani Ranasinghe

Ms. Kalani Ranasinghe is a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) expert with over 13 years of experience leading MEL systems for complex, multi-stakeholder international development programs. She is highly experienced in designing and ....

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Mr. Prabuddha Batuwatte

Mr. Prabuddha Batuwatte is a seasoned multidisciplinary professional with over 15 years of experience at the intersection of engineering, business strategy, and sustainability.....

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Plnr. Nadeeka Amarasighe

Ms. Nadeeka Amarasighe is a Chartered Town Planner with over a decade of experience in urban planning, sustainable development, biodiversity, climate actio......

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Arch. Buddhikanganee Menike

Mrs. Buddhika is a result-oriented professional with a keen interest in innovative solutions and a passion for contributing to the achievement of organizational goals.....

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Mr. Sivanathan Gowrieshan

Mr. Sivanathan Gowrieshan (MSc) is an AWS Certified Solutions Architect and an experienced ICT professional with over 12 years in the industry.......

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Mr. H.G.C. Jayathissa

Mr. Jayathissa brings over forty-one years of experience in project and program implementation across the corporate sector, development sector, and local government. His core expertise includes local planning, with a focus on financial management, service delivery, and citizen participation. He is also well-versed in human resource management, office management, and store management. Additionally, he is highly experienced in participatory training and workshop facilitation, having served as a resource person at community, provincial, and national levels.

Mr. Jayathissa is highly knowledgeable in the formulation of by-laws, implementation of local government laws, revenue enhancement strategies, and addressing policy-related issues. Throughout his career, he has contributed to development projects supported by key international agencies. 

His main contributions have been to a number of projects, including: Transparent Accountable Local Governance Project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Local Economic Governance Program, funded by Australian Aid, where he served as a Technical Advisor, Subnational Governance Program, funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia, where he served as Lead Technical Advisor (Legal & Policy) and Strengthening Local Governance for National Development, funded by the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, where he worked as an External Technical expert.

Mr. Jayathissa holds a Higher National Diploma in Accounting (Parts I & II) from the Technical College, Sri Lanka, and an Intermediate Certificate from the International Association of Bookkeepers – London. He also passed the Preliminary Examination of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka in 1981. Furthermore, he earned his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree, graduating First in Law in 1991.

A.R. Anpalagan Croos

Mr. Cross is an experienced and dedicated development practitioner with over 26 years of expertise in community development, local governance, and participatory training. He has a proven track record as a master trainer, resource person, and consultant for both governmental and non-governmental organizations. His core specializations include local government systems, participatory planning, capacity building, and social accountability.

Mr. Cross served as a Community Development Officer (Class-I) in the Local Government Service of the Eastern Province, where he dedicated 26 years of service. He has also worked as a Master Trainer for several development projects, including those with JICA FORWARD, GTZ, MDTU–Eastern Province, and served as Senior Community Development Officer in the World Bank’s LDSP Project. Additionally, he served as a Consultant in Spatial Local Development Planning for GTZ. He has participated in numerous local and international training programs, including, Local Administration & Planning – Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), India, Electronic Citizen Report Card (eCRC), GIS Applications – University of Peradeniya, Training Methodology – Commonwealth Local Government Forum & SLIDA, Organizational Development Analysis – MDF South Asia and Communication & Journalism – Sri Lanka Institute of Local Governance

Mr. Cross holds an LL.B. from the University of Sri Lanka and is an Attorney-at-Law, accredited by the Sri Lanka Law College. He also holds a Master’s degree in Sociology, a Bachelor of Arts, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Merit) from the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL).


Mr. A.J.M Irshad

Mr. A.J.M. Irshad is the former Assistant Commissioner of Local Government for the Eastern Province. He is a courageous and dedicated professional with over 36 years of experience, possessing strong administrative and coordination skills of the highest calibre.

Before serving as the Assistant Commissioner for nearly 14 years, Mr. Irshad held the position of Special Grade Community Development Officer at the same office. Throughout his career, he has provided guidance to local authority bodies and conducted training in various aspects of local governance, including council meeting procedures, financial management, solid waste management, and development project implementation.

Mr. Irshad has also participated in international training programs focused on solid waste management, public-private partnerships, and local government affairs, further enhancing his expertise in these areas.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Ms. Kalani Ranasinghe

Ms. Kalani Ranasinghe is a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) expert with over 13 years of experience leading MEL systems for complex, multi-stakeholder international development programs. She is highly experienced in designing and operationalizing MEL frameworks that align with donor requirements while promoting adaptive learning and evidence-based decision-making.

Her thematic expertise spans governance, gender equality, climate resilience, sustainable development, and solid waste management, with field experience in post-conflict, plantation, and urban settings across Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Ms. Kalani is adept at developing gender-transformative MEL strategies, managing research studies and multi-country assessments, and leading participatory reviews and impact evaluations. She is also skilled in applying advanced data management, analysis, and visualization techniques using digital platforms and tools to generate actionable insights. Ms. Kalani has served in key MEL roles for USAID’s Ocean Plastic Reduction Activity, USAID’s Clean Cities, Blue Ocean Program, Chrysalis, CARE International, and the Institute of Social Development. She has also contributed to numerous consultancies for organizations such as the British Council, Transparency International, Chrysalis, and the Solidaridad Network Asia, serving as a Lead Researcher and MEL Consultant.

She holds a Master’s in Development Practice and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Peradeniya, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management from the University of Colombo.

Mr. Prabuddha Batuwatte

Mr. Prabuddha Batuwatte is a seasoned multidisciplinary professional with over 15 years of experience at the intersection of engineering, business strategy, and sustainability.

He specializes in innovative business development, sustainable business models, and circular economy initiatives. Mr. Prabuddha brings deep expertise in value chain creation, SME development, entrepreneurship, and cross-sector partnerships, delivering solutions that generate long-term economic, environmental, and community value.

His career spans multinational corporations, government agencies, and international development projects. He has served in key roles for USAID’s Clean Cities, Blue Ocean Program and USAID’s Ocean Plastic Reduction Activity. At the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, he contributed to investor ecosystem management and strategic sector promotion.

Mr. Prabuddha’s academic background includes degrees in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (University of Sydney), Engineering Management (University of Technology Sydney), Business Administration (University of West London), and Polymer Technology (University of Moratuwa). This multidisciplinary foundation enables him to combine technical expertise with strategic business insight.

Plnr. Nadeeka Amarasighe

Ms. Nadeeka Amarasighe is a Chartered Town Planner with over a decade of experience in urban planning, sustainable development, biodiversity, climate action, and policy formulation. She is deeply committed to researching and developing innovative concepts that promote inclusive local area planning, effective local governance, and sustainable community development.

Actively involved in both professional and national committees, Ms. Nadeeka brings a strong passion and expertise to her work. She currently serves as Assistant Director at the Sustainable Development Council of Sri Lanka. She holds memberships in several professional bodies, including the Institute of Town Planners of Sri Lanka (ITPSL) and the Institute of Environmental Professionals of Sri Lanka. Her main areas of expertise include Urban Planning & Design, Climate Action Planning, Biodiversity and Environmental Management, Concept Development for Inclusive Local Area Planning, Community Empowerment, and Stakeholder Engagement.

Ms. Nadeeka holds an MSc in Forestry and Environmental Management from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and a BSc in Town & Country Planning from the University of Moratuwa.

Arch. Buddhikanganee Menike

Mrs. Buddhika is a result-oriented professional with a keen interest in innovative solutions and a passion for contributing to the achievement of organizational goals. She possesses a strong blend of technical, communicative, and managerial skills, along with commendable values, traits, and attitudes.

She is a Chartered Architect, registered as an Associate Member of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA). She actively contributed to ARCH ASIA 2018, organized by SLIA, as a member of the organizing committee. In addition, she is recognized as a Green Associate Professional by the Sri Lanka Green Building Council. Mrs. Buddhika is professionally qualified to provide architectural services in urban and rural planning, including structural design, project development, and construction administration. She is proficient in architectural and construction-related IT software such as AutoCAD, Google SketchUp, and Act-3D Lumion.

She is currently serving as a Chartered Architect and Operations Manager and has accumulated nearly seven years of experience in the private sector, working with various construction companies. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Moratuwa

Mr. Sivanathan Gowrieshan

Mr. Sivanathan Gowrieshan (MSc) is an AWS Certified Solutions Architect and an experienced ICT professional with over 12 years in the industry. He specializes in system analysis, design, and implementation of digital solutions, with a strong focus on integrating data-driven systems for government, non-governmental, and private sector organizations.

Mr. Gowrieshan brings extensive expertise in systems analysis and design, characterized by a process-driven, solution-oriented, and user-focused approach to translating complex requirements into effective and streamlined systems. In addition, Mr. Gowrieshan is proficient in systems administration and application management. He is capable of ensuring the reliability, security, and optimal performance of IT environments through configuring, monitoring, and maintaining servers and applications, managing updates and patches, and troubleshooting complex issues to support seamless business operations.

He has also led systems training and capacity-building initiatives for clients, empowering users and teams with the knowledge and skills required to effectively operate, maintain, and maximize IT systems. Mr. Gowrieshan has played a key role in supporting the digital transformation of operational workflows, streamlining processes, enhancing efficiency, and fostering data-driven decision-making through tailored ICT solutions at various local government bodies across Sri Lanka.