Youth of both Sri Lankan and Indian Army families, perhaps for the first time in the country’s history, fused together Tuesday (4) evening at Colombo Defence Services College auditorium during a glittering ‘Cultural Show’, as part of a youth exchange project set in motion by the Viru Daru Society of Sri Lanka Army.         

A 25-member youth delegation, comprised of sons and daughters of Indian Army families is currently in Sri Lanka under the ‘Youth Exchange Programme’ of the Army’s Viru Daru Society and their arrival in Sri Lanka on Friday (31) was greeted with a warm welcome.

The team on arrival at the Colombo International Airport was received by Ms Deshani Jayasuriya, Chairperson, Viru Daru Society and several members of the society.  

During their five-day stay in Sri Lanka, these youngsters from India interacted with their counterparts in Sri Lanka through various programmes including sports, culture, tours and entertainment.

Tuesday (4) evening’s ‘Cultural Show’, replete with various colourful cultural feats of both countries symbolized sound relations of both nations and importance of further promotion of the goodwill and understanding.

Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, whose vision saw the birth of the Army’s ‘Viru Daru’ Society, just a few years ago attended the event as the Chief Guest, together with Mrs Manjulika Jayasuriya, President, Seva Vanitha Army Branch who with her motherly care attends to the nitty-gritty of the Viru Daru organization, chaired by Ms Deshani Jayasuriya.

This pilot project of the Viru Daru Society is meant to promote common interests of the youth in both Army supported organizations and forge better relations and understanding. Seva Vanitha societies in the Indian Army have backed the trip down to Sri Lanka.

Those Indian youngsters visited Kandy, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee and several other places of interest in the country before they interacted with their Sri Lankan counterparts in cricket, swimming and a few more games.

Today’s Cultural Show featured age-old Bharatha Natyam performances, group dancing, traditional dance forms, music, Sri Lanka’s Ves dancing, folk dancing and several other patterns of dancing.

Senior officers and their spouses attended the Cultural Show.