20th October 2015 14:08:08 Hours
The Convocation - 2015 ceremony of the Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) at Ratmalana was held Tuesday (20) afternoon at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) with the gracious presence of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Maithripala Sirisena as the Chief Guest.
Chancellor of the KDU General Rohan Daluwatte, together with its Vice Chancellor, Major General Milinda Peiris welcomed the President and conducted him to the main hall in a procession, befitting the occasion.
The main programme began soon after the national anthem and the university anthem were aired, to be followed by a two-minute silence in honour of fallen War heroes.
450 graduates, including one who read for the PhD received their graduation parchments during the ceremony. Graduation was conferred on 104 officers who qualified in Masters, 73 officers who read for Post Graduate studies and a total of 272 officers who succeeded in following the basic degree.
Trophies for the Best Student officer and first in order in merit were also awarded during the ceremony.
The General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University founded in 1981 as a Defence Academy, KDU was elevated to the level of a university in 1986 with the distinctive mission of ensuring a superior quality learner-centered education through academic and professional programmes, combined with practical research across many disciplines in the field of defence, medicine and Maths for its students.
The former Commander of the Navy Admiral (Retd) JSK Kolombage was awarded the Doctor of Philosophy and he is the first to receive a doctorate from the KDU.
Second Lieutenant R P Samarasinghe of Intake 28 was awarded the Sword of Honour for the Best All Round Performance.
President Sirisena in his speech to the convocation said that the KDU has spread out its services to encompass a wider spectrum of students over the years and that the government is committed in its national duty of strengthening the armed forces. It is important that we acquire knowledge, skill and modern technology in order to achieve national commitments, and stressed the need to keep pace with the developing trends of the world.
He further added that at present dissemination of knowledge has become commercialized. He reminded those present of the period of tragedy brought upon by LTTE terrorists over a period of more than two decades and said that efforts by successive governments to contain this threat experienced mixed results. We were able to defeat terrorism by the resolute effort of all people and the government is committed in honouring the War Heroes. He said that he would not allow anyone to disgrace this victory and pledged to strengthen national reconciliation among people of all races.
Eng. Karunasena Hettiarachchi, Secretary Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Kolitha Gunatilleke, Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva, Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala, members of the academic staff at the KDU, special guests, senior officers of the tri services, graduates and their parents were among those who witnessed the day’s convocation.
The following are the graduates of the Army ;
MSc in Management
Brigadier H.J Senaviratne RWP RSP
Brigadier A.S Ariyasinghe RWP RSP USP
Lieutenant Colonel B.J Lekamge RSP
Lieutenant Colonel M.W.D.N Mediwake RSP USP
Lieutenant Colonel A.H.A.D Ariyasena RWP RSP psc
MBA in Logistics Management
Lieutenant V.A.P.C De Silva
MBA in E-Governance
Lieutenant Colonel H.A.I.U Hewarachchi
Lieutenant Colonel K.W.S Perera RWP
Major B.S Dissanayake
Captain W.D.N.P.W Gunathilake RSP (Retd)
Master of Laws Programme I
Brigadier R.P Rajapathirana RSP USP psc
Brigadier (Rtd) W.P.U Weerasinghe USP
Lieutenant Colonel J Waidyadasa (Retd)
Lieutenant Colonel H.R.J.H Senanayake
Lieutenant Colonel E.S Jayasinghe USP
Major S.N Sandamalee
PG Diploma in Logistics Management
Major V.S Lokupitiya (Retd)
Master of Science in Defence & Strategic Studies
Major K.D.S Lankathilaka - ESR
Major K.MK Samarasinghe - SLAC
Major T Bopitiya - SLA
Major U.S Ranaweera - SLAC
Major M.A.P Abeywickrama - SLE
Major C.R Lahadasinghe - SLE
Major N.C Karunarathne - SLA
Major P.V.D.I.S Saparamadu - SLA
Major S.P.I.H Senanayake - GW
Major G.A.L.R Perera - SLA
Postgraduate Diploma in Logistics Management
Major A.M.T.C.B Adhikari - SLAGSC
Major H.P.L De Alwis - SLEME
Major R.A Rohana - ESR
Major K.N Indrajith - SLCMP
Major V.N.M Jayasekara - SLCMP
Major W.M.K.M Wijayasundara - SLAOC
Major K.M.S.N Premarathne - SLASC
Major L.G.L.B Gunarathne - SLCMP
Major R.M.S.P Rathnayake - SLASC
KDU Intake 28 & 29
Lieutenant S.P Diunuge - SLAGSC
Lieutenant H.T.E Soysa - SLAGSC
Lieutenant H.M.P.L.R. Bandara - SLAGSC
Lieutenant A.D.B Pathmakulasuriya - SLAGSC
Lieutenant R.M.J Ranatunga - SLAGSC
Lieutenant R.K.K.S Rathnayake - SLAGSC
Lieutenant M.R.P Abeywickrama - SLAGSC
Lieutenant E.R.K.B Etampawala - SLAGSC
Lieutenant R.A.D.P.S.D Ranasinghe - SLAGSC
Lieutenant H.S Ranawaka - SLAGSC
Lieutenant C.N Arambawatta - SLAGSC
Lieutenant E.M.P.W.A.S Wickramasinghe - SLAGSC
Lieutenant G.K.D.D.S Rathnasiri - SLAGSC
Lieutenant L.M.M Liyanage - SLAGSC
Lieutenant R.M.C.M Siriwardane - SLAGSC
2/Lieutenant D.C.N Hapuarachchi - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant H.L Ariyaratne - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant P.S Gauder - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant W.A.D.L Gunawardana - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant A.G.S.C Amarasinghe - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant L.A.M.A.S.B Liyadipita - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant D.K Sekarage - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant K.A.J Pushpakumara - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant R.P.M.T.D.B Rathmalawinna - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant Y.S.A.U De Silva - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant A.D Jayaweera - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant M.C.P.A Manodarage - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant M.K.C.K Moragoda - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant D.T.R Danthanarayana - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant K.D.S Perera - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant Y.I.M Perera - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant H.B Colambage - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant A.G.K.P.G Gamage - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant M.A.S.C Karunarathna - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant S.U Weerasooriya - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant R.A.R.L Arachchige - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant R.P Samarasinghe - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant N.Y Gamanayaka - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant H.A Basnayake - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant J.M Muhandiramge - SLMA
2/ Lieutenant R.K.S Dilanka - SLMC
2/ Lieutenant K.M.G.L Dias - SLMC
2/ Lieutenant L.P Aravinda - SLMC
2/ Lieutenant T.A.S.L Karunarathna - SLMC
2/ Lieutenant M.C.U Dasanayaka - SLMC
2/ Lieutenant N.N.N Madushanka - SLMC
2/ Lieutenant P.W.L Sampath - SLMC
2/ Lieutenant D.S Jayaweera - SLMC
2/ Lieutenant A.W Goonewardena - SLMC
2/ Lieutenant W.P.A.M Abesekara - SLMC
2/ Lieutenant P.M.T Divinda - SLMC
2/ Lieutenant T.A.K.P Thilakarathne - SLMC
2/ Lieutenant K.M Parakrama - SLMC
2/ Lieutenant W.D.E.D.P Katupitiya - SLLI
2/ Lieutenant L.H.M Chandrasiri - SLASC
2/ Lieutenant U.E.K Ranasinghe - SLSR
2/ Lieutenant L.M Suduwelikanda - CR
2/ Lieutenant R.A.D.M.D Senavirathna - SLE
2/ Lieutenant H.P.D.M.D Gunasekara - SLSC
2/ Lieutenant K.G.J Karunarathna - VIR
2/ Lieutenant B.H Siriwardhana - SF
2/ Lieutenant S.Y.C.N Wickramasinghe - GW
2/ Lieutenant H.M.H.S Herath - GR
2/ Lieutenant Y.Y.K Meepagala - MIR
Special Awards :
BACHELOR’S DEGREE - INTAKE 29
2/LT IGSS WIJEBANDARA
2/Lt WDEDP KATUPITIYA
2/Lt SYCN WICKRAMASINGHE
MBBS DEGREE - INTAKE 28
2/Lt RKS DILANKA
2/Lt WPAM ABESEKARA
2/Lt WPAM ABESEKARA
2/Lt WPAM ABESEKARA
2/Lt WPAM ABESEKARA
2/Lt WPAM ABESEKARA
2/Lt TASL KARUNARATHNE
2/Lt WPAM ABESEKARA
BACHELOR’S DEGREE - INTAKE 28
Lt GKDDS RATHNASIRI
2/Lt RP SAMARASINGHE
2/Lt PS GAUDER
2/Lt AD JAYAWEERA
MASTER OF LAWS PROGRAMME I
Brigadier RP RAJAPATHIRANA
BACHELOR’S DEGREE - INTAKE 29
2/Lt IGSS WIJEBANDARA
2/Lt YYK MEEPAGALA
BACHELOR’S DEGREE - INTAKE 28
2/Lt R P SAMARASINGHE
Lt LMM LIYANAGE
2/Lt KDS PERERA
2/Lt WPAM ABEYSEKARA
2/Lt TASL KARUNARATHNE
2/Lt WPAM ABEYSEKARA
2/Lt KM PARAKRAMA
2/Lt WPAM ABEYSEKARA
2/Lt WPAM ABEYSEKARA
2/Lt RP SAMARASINGHE
2/Lt RP SAMARASINGHE