"The website has a photo gallery that includes many hitherto-unseen images drawn from the Wijewardene family albums and various institutional and media sources.

"These offer glimpses of Ray's education, training, career and leisure activities that took him to the universities of Cambridge and Harvard, international service with the United Nations and the World Bank, the Olympics and Asian games and back to the grassroots in Sri Lanka."

Though a scientist and inventor he was best known publicly for his enthusiasm for aviation and flying small aircraft he had built himself.

While in Britain he had worked with Godfrey de Havilland, from the De Havilland aircraft company.

He was also skillful sailor and had represented the country in international meets.