Ch. Eng. M.D.S. Upali Perera

Ch. Eng. M.D.S. Upali Perera

Chartered Engineer M.D.S. Upali Perera is a highly respected engineering professional with over 50 years of distinguished service in the mechanical and marine engineering fields. He currently serves as the Managing Director of U.S. Satren Engineering (Pvt) Ltd, and practices as a Consultant Mechanical & Marine Engineer. He is also a Registered Loss Adjuster under the Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka.

Eng. Perera is a Chartered Engineer of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL) and holds professional memberships with the Institute of Marine Engineers (UK), Engineering Council (UK), IIESL, and MIAE (Sri Lanka).

His extensive career spans a wide range of engineering sectors including power generation, petroleum and gas, shipbuilding and repair, paper, tyre, tea, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. His professional journey began in 1969 at the Hardy Institute, followed by studies at the University of London, where he obtained his BSc in Mechanical Engineering. After gaining industry experience in the United Kingdom, he returned to Sri Lanka in 1980 to join Colombo Dockyard Limited (CDL).

During his 25-year tenure at CDL, Eng. Perera served in several senior roles and was appointed Head of the Engineering Division in 2000. His contributions included major shipbuilding and repair projects, establishment of petroleum and gas storage facilities, refurbishment of power plants, and the introduction of internationally recognized marine propeller and engine valve repair technologies. He is also renowned for his expertise in advanced welding techniques involving carbon steel, stainless steel, bronze, aluminium, and cast steel.

Eng. Perera has represented Sri Lanka at numerous international engineering conferences and seminars, including shipbuilding expert forums in Japan and UN-organized modern maintenance programmes in Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland).

In 2005, he commenced his independent consultancy practice and became a Government-authorized Inspection Engineer, responsible for certification of boilers, pressure vessels, gas storage tanks, cranes, hoists, lifts, lifting gear, and for handling non-motor insurance claims. In 2018, he established U.S. Satren Engineering (Pvt) Ltd.

Throughout his career, Eng. Perera has played a vital role in national infrastructure, industrial development, and security-related engineering projects. He has trained and mentored numerous engineers, technical officers, and tradesmen, and has successfully managed large technical workforces numbering in the thousands.

His lifelong dedication to engineering excellence and national service stands as a source of pride to the profession and to the Old Hardians Association, making him truly deserving of recognition as a Hardian who rose to the top.