With a presidential election or a general election or both being imminent we dedicate this edition of Gaveshana to the theme of No Development without Research.

Sri Lankans can justifiably be proud of their heritage. Yet, many now believe that nothing significant has been added to our national heritage over the past few decades. Others go further and argue that we are a bankrupt nation. We question these assumptions. Although a conflation of social, geo-political, economic and historical factors have driven us into our current difficulties, we do not believe that Sri Lanka is a failed nation in any sense. We seek to define the collective action we can take as a nation to resolve the challenges we are facing, both in terms of natural and human resources. 

In a world where knowledge is power, as academics and researchers, our perspective on nation building is based on generating new knowledge rather than redistribution of existing knowledge alone. This requires a strategic shift towards an overarching national research culture, leading ultimately to products and service development, manufacturing, and export economies where the people of this country benefit from the knowledge created through research. We emphasize that academics and political leaders have a moral responsibility to compel the Sri Lankan public to trust that scientific and technological research is a key driver of economic development. As prime beneficiaries of new knowledge, it is time for these two factions to update their vision on science, technology and development. This Gaveshana edition entreats you to adopt that new way of thinking.