The Team

Our Team is made up of volunteer instructors and trainers who take time to come teach and impart their knowledge and experience to our students. Given below are their profiles.

Jonathan Smith

BSAC Open Water Instructor - Since 2021

Jonathan having joined the club as a PADI Instructor, went on to get his BSAC Open Water Instructor qualification in support of the club.

Having a wealth of experience in teaching not only scuba but also as a 3rd dan black belt taekwondo Instructor, is an awesome buddy to have not just underwater.

These days teaching Scuba diving is his passion and looks forward to a club approach of teaching scuba diving skills within the BSAC structure. 

We warmly welcome the experience and standard he brings with him to our club.

Ravin Gunawardana

Training Officer - Since 2007

Ravin is a founder member and past president of the club who has been actively involved in training our students not able to meet our swim proficiencies.

A bronze medal lifesaver and certified diver in 1997. He was appointed a training officer of the club in January of 2007 attached to our learn to swim programme.

Volunteer Instructors and Trainers of the Past.

Jason Senanayake

Training Officer / Asst. Instructor 2019 - 2023

With a BSc degree in International Business Management is also enrolled at FitsAir Flight Academy, pursuing another childhood dream of being a commercial pilot.


An old boy of the school, he joined the club in February of 2015 and was privileged to be the last president of the Sub-Aqua Club of 2016 and 1st Captain of the SCUBA Diving Unit in the years 2017/18.


"My love for SCUBA was born through my love for adventure and interest in the World Wars, which left many shipwrecks around the world. I always dreamed of exploring and locating shipwrecks that are yet to be found to date. The HMAS Vampire, sunk of the coast of Batticaloa being one such wreck".


Jason worked with students in the snorkel diver programme and on becoming a BSAC Asst. Instructor in Jan 2023 progressed to conducting pool sessions for our members.

Rachel Dias Bandaranayake

Training Officer 2019 - 2021

Rachel joined the club at age 12 and is one of our many member students from another school who started scuba training with us.

An excellent swimmer, she excelled in her training to become a certified diver in 2017. She was appointed a training officer of the club in January of 2019, attached to our Snorkel Diver programme.

Rachel left us to enter university in Minnesota to pursue a field of computer science and later in artificial intelligence. We wish her all the best.

Sharika Ferdinando

Training Officer 2019 - 2021

A commercial pilot by profession is committed to empowering young people. Though his passion is in aviation, he enjoys exploring the depths of the ocean and immerse in the beauty of the marine life that surrounds him.

 

Sharika joined the Club while in school May of 2006 and now serves his Alma mater as a volunteer training officer since 2019. He works with our students in the scuba diver programme at mastering their skill sets.

 

“Scuba diving has truly helped myself to improve and enhance my skills and competencies through enjoyment and training youngsters. The sport has given me a valuable space to promote and give a message out to people of the importance to preserving marine life and not to harm the marine environment while enjoying the sport”.

Devsiri Peiris 

Training Officer / Instructor 2001 - 2017

Devsiri, aka Dev, an old boy of the school joined in November of 1994 and is a past president of the club. Totally engrossed in his passion for scuba, went on to quit his corporate job to become a full time independent PADI Instructor.

Prior to BSAC branch status, Dev was one of three PADI instructors our students were referred to following the successful completion of their scuba training programme to obtain an international diving qualification.