Professor Samarajeewa Karunaratne has had an excellent career in electrical engineering, particularly in university engineering education. Having achieved the coveted position of Professor of Electrical Engineering and Head of Department at a University of Moratuwa at a relatively young age of 32 years, he has been the teacher of over 600 electrical engineers who hold high positions in Sri Lanka and abroad. He has held this position for 33 years. He had been personally involved in institution building and had established the electrical power engineering laboratories of the University of Peradeniya, University of Moratuwa, Kotalawela Defence Academy, Open University of Sri Lanka, TTI Katunayaka and SLIIT.

He was the pioneer in the Digital Computer Applications in the country, being the Manager of the first ever digital computer system in Sri Lanka at the State Engineering Corporation. He had developed several computer application systems such as MIS, econometric modeling and analysis of the Sri Lanka National Economy for the Ministry of National Planning, Civil and Electrical Engineering Designs and Analysis when such applications were a novelty during 1967 – 1968 ie. nearly 5 decades ago. He had published several papers on Electrical Power System load flow, stability and sensitivity analysis. He is the author of three equations for the teaching of the load flow problem, the stability problem and the wolf page distributing along high voltage insulter strings. He is also the author of the first book written in Sri Lanka on Digital Computer Programming in 1968.

He had held significant positions in the University, being Professor, Head of Department, Dean of the Faculty and Vice Chancellor of the University. He had been in the Boards of Management of many national institutions such as the University of Ceylon, University of Moratuwa, University of Colombo, Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Management, NERD Centre, NARESA, National Academy of Sciences Sri Lanka, IESL, Centre for Space Science and Technology Education, India, Arthur C. Clarke Institute, Committee of Vice Chancellors and Directors etc.

He is much involved in the Engineering profession, and he was elected President of the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka in 1992 / 1993 session.The University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka awarded him the degree of Doctor of Science Honoris Causa and accorded him the title of ‘Professor Emeritus’, in recognition of his services. The Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka decorated him with the title of ‘Eminence in Engineering’. He was awarded the ICT Lifetime achiever award by the ICTA and the BCS. Professor Karunaratne holds the positions of Chairman of the SLIIT from its inception to 2014.