Ashu Marasinghe

{{Short description|Sri Lankan politician and academic}}

{{BLP sources|date=February 2023}}

{{Use Sri Lankan English|date=January 2023}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Ashu Marasinghe

| native_name = ආශු මාරසිංහ

| country = Sri Lanka

| parliament = Parliament of Sri Lanka

| party = United National Party

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|05|25}}

| nationality = Sri Lankan

| children = 3

| alma_mater = University of Aizu, Japan and University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

| occupation = Chairman/CEO - GSDC and GSA

| profession = Professor

| education = Ananda College, Colombo 10 and Nalanda (Boys) College, Minuwangoda

}}

Chandrajith Ashuboda "Ashu" Marasinghe (born 25 May 1971) is a Sri Lankan politician, professor and academic.{{cite web | url=https://www.parliament.lk/members-of-parliament/directory-of-members/viewmember/3243 | title=Parliament of Sri Lanka - Ashu Marasinghe }} He served as an advisor to Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe and also served as a former member of parliament of Sri Lanka. He was a national list member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka proposed by United National Front following the 2015 Sri Lankan parliamentary election and subsequently served in the 15th Parliament of Sri Lanka as an MP.

Marasinghe was educated at Nalanda Central College and Ananda College, before attending the University of Colombo, where he earned a B.Sc. in physics and mathematics in 1997.{{cite journal |title=Dr. Chandrajith Ashuboda Marasinghe: Research and Life in Japan by a JSPS Fellow (7) |journal=JSPS Quarterly |date=Winter 2005 |issue=14 |page=14 |url=https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-quart/jsps_fellow/jsps_quarterly14.pdf |publisher=Japan Society for the Promotion of Science |language=en |oclc=183262220}} He later studied computer science and engineering at the University of Aizu, Japan, where he received his M.Sc. (2001) and PhD. (2004). He has taught at the International University of Japan and was formerly an associate professor at Nagaoka University of Technology.{{cite news |last1=Jayawardane |first1=Ishara |title=Guided by conscience |url=https://www.dailynews.lk/2016/03/17/features/76713 |work=Daily News |date=March 17, 2016 |language=en}}

In December 2022, he resigned from his position as Presidential Advisor on Parliamentary Affairs due to allegations by a former girlfriend and by politician Hirunika Premachandra that he had sexually abused a pet dog.{{Cite web |title=President’s advisor caught in a storm for allegedly sexually abusing pet dog - Top Story {{!}} Daily Mirror |url=https://www.dailymirror.lk/top_story/Presidents-advisor-caught-in-a-storm-for-allegedly-sexually-abusing-pet-dog/155-250973 |access-date=24 December 2022 |website=www.dailymirror.lk |language=English}}{{Cite web |title=Ashu Marasinghe resigns as Presidential Advisor on Parliamentary Affairs |url=http://www.adaderana.lk/news/87056/ashu-marasinghe-resigns-as-presidential-advisor-on-parliamentary-affairs |access-date=24 December 2022 |website=www.adaderana.lk |language=en}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Ashu Marasinghe steps down from presidential advisor role born in Kalawewa |url=https://english.newsfirst.lk/2022/12/23/ashu-marasinghe-steps-down-from-presidential-advisor-role |access-date=24 December 2022 |website=english.newsfirst.lk |language=en}} Marasinghe made a complaint at the Criminal Investigation Department, claiming that the allegations were baseless and that the video was doctored.{{Cite web |date=24 December 2022 |title="Doctored Video" Prof. Ashu Marasinghe goes to CID |url=https://www.newswire.lk/2022/12/24/doctored-video-prof-ashu-marasinghe-goes-to-cid/ |access-date=24 December 2022 |website=NewsWire |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Video was edited says Ashu Marasinghe's lawyer |url=https://english.newsfirst.lk/2022/12/24/video-was-edited-says-ashu-marasinghe-s-lawyer |access-date=24 December 2022 |website=english.newsfirst.lk |language=en}} He was re-appointed in the same post in February 2023.