A total of 83 Student Officers, inclusive of a few Officers from other foreign Armies, graduated with the Passed Staff College (psc) degree at the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) Sapugaskanda, Sri Lanka’s highest seat of learning for service personnel, received their graduation on Wednesday (14) during a ceremony, dignified by the presence of Prime Minister, Secretary Defence and Urban Development, Chief of Defence Staff, Army, Navy and Air Force Commanders and a distinguished gathering of diplomats, past Commanders, Vice Chancellors, scholars, Senior Service Officers and other invitees.
The graduation ceremony saw 48 Army 13 Navy 14 Air Force and 8 foreign officers from India (1), Bangladesh (2), China (1), Pakistan (1), Sudan (1), Nepal (1) and Maldives (1) who followed the Course No 5, received their parchments of graduation from the Chief Guest, Prime Minister Hon D.M Jayarathne and a few other distinguished invitees.
Major General J.C Rambukpotha, Commandant DSCSC warmly welcomed the Chief Guest, Secretary Defence, Tri-service Commanders and a few others at the entrance to the premises, in the company of DSCSC senior officers.
The ceremony got to a start after lighting the traditional oil lamp and honouring all fallen War Heroes in a two-minute silence after the graduates awarded a standing ovation to the Chief Guest on the day. After award of parchments to the graduates, the ceremony reached its peak with the presentation of special awards for Best Student (four categories), Best Dissertation (Golden Pen) and the Golden Owl award. Indian Army officer was adjudged the Best Student in the foreign category.
The Golden owl Award first in order of merit was awarded to student officers, Major K.S Maddumage (Army wing), Cdr (L) U.P Karawita (Navy wing), Wing Cdr S.P.V.K Senadheera (Air Force wing) and Major R.M Kanswal (Foreign section). Meanwhile, Wing Cdr S.P.V.K Senadheera received the Commandant's Golden Pen Award for the Best Research paper.
DSCSC Commandant Major General J.C Rambukpotha on the same occasion presented the maiden copy of the DSCSC journal, ‘the Owlet’ to the Chief Guest and thanked each and every one of the invitees for their gracious presence on the occasion. The august assembly of DSCSC graduates as they walked out after graduation lined up to receive greetings from their respective Commanders, as a novel feature that has been added to the DSCSC traditions since this year.
Several spouses of distinguished guests, including Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Chairperson, Ministry of Defence Seva Vanitha Unit too graced the ceremony.
The present DSCSC, renamed in 2007 came into being as the Army Command and Staff College or the ACSC back in 1997 to match the rapid expansion of the Armed Forces and to face the challenges that were developing in the battlefield at that period of time. The DSCSC serves as one of the best academies in the South Asian region which provides a joint services environment, in which exams conducted over 15 continuous hours have armed those graduates with strategic knowledge, warefare tactics, tolerance, flexibility in mind, resilience, in a battlefield environment, etc before they qualify for the degree, affiliated to the University of Kelaniya.
The DSCSC to its credit has to-date produced 564 graduates including 17 foreign officers from different friendly countries. In the forthcoming Course No. 6 in 2012, the DSCSC expects to train 100 student officers with 12 foreign participants who have already confirmed their participation.
The graduation ceremony saw 48 Army 13 Navy 14 Air Force and 8 foreign officers from India (1), Bangladesh (2), China (1), Pakistan (1), Sudan (1), Nepal (1) and Maldives (1) who followed the Course No 5, received their parchments of graduation from the Chief Guest, Prime Minister Hon D.M Jayarathne and a few other distinguished invitees.
Major General J.C Rambukpotha, Commandant DSCSC warmly welcomed the Chief Guest, Secretary Defence, Tri-service Commanders and a few others at the entrance to the premises, in the company of DSCSC senior officers.
The ceremony got to a start after lighting the traditional oil lamp and honouring all fallen War Heroes in a two-minute silence after the graduates awarded a standing ovation to the Chief Guest on the day. After award of parchments to the graduates, the ceremony reached its peak with the presentation of special awards for Best Student (four categories), Best Dissertation (Golden Pen) and the Golden Owl award. Indian Army officer was adjudged the Best Student in the foreign category.
The Golden owl Award first in order of merit was awarded to student officers, Major K.S Maddumage (Army wing), Cdr (L) U.P Karawita (Navy wing), Wing Cdr S.P.V.K Senadheera (Air Force wing) and Major R.M Kanswal (Foreign section). Meanwhile, Wing Cdr S.P.V.K Senadheera received the Commandant's Golden Pen Award for the Best Research paper.
DSCSC Commandant Major General J.C Rambukpotha on the same occasion presented the maiden copy of the DSCSC journal, ‘the Owlet’ to the Chief Guest and thanked each and every one of the invitees for their gracious presence on the occasion. The august assembly of DSCSC graduates as they walked out after graduation lined up to receive greetings from their respective Commanders, as a novel feature that has been added to the DSCSC traditions since this year.
Several spouses of distinguished guests, including Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Chairperson, Ministry of Defence Seva Vanitha Unit too graced the ceremony.
The present DSCSC, renamed in 2007 came into being as the Army Command and Staff College or the ACSC back in 1997 to match the rapid expansion of the Armed Forces and to face the challenges that were developing in the battlefield at that period of time. The DSCSC serves as one of the best academies in the South Asian region which provides a joint services environment, in which exams conducted over 15 continuous hours have armed those graduates with strategic knowledge, warefare tactics, tolerance, flexibility in mind, resilience, in a battlefield environment, etc before they qualify for the degree, affiliated to the University of Kelaniya.
The DSCSC to its credit has to-date produced 564 graduates including 17 foreign officers from different friendly countries. In the forthcoming Course No. 6 in 2012, the DSCSC expects to train 100 student officers with 12 foreign participants who have already confirmed their participation.
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