Sri Lankan engineer Nadeesha Chandrasena returned to the island after receiving the 2025 WIPO Global Award in the environment category for her groundbreaking invention, the ‘Smart Drain’.

Presented by the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva, the award celebrates innovations that use intellectual property to address global issues. This year’s event saw participation from 780 institutions across 95 countries.

Chandrasena’s Smart Drain system addresses urban flooding by preventing plastic and polythene blockages in open drainage systems. She acknowledged the contributions of the National Intellectual Property Office of Sri Lanka and Access Engineering PLC in bringing the project to life.

Her win marks the first time a Sri Lankan has received a WIPO Global Award, bringing international recognition to local innovation in sustainable infrastructure.