CONTEMPORARY War Heroes, nurtured by the Nalanda College, Colombo who made the supreme sacrifice or became disable during the war fought for the sake of territorial integrity of the motherland, were felicitated in a glittering ceremony organized by the Junior Old Boys of the College on Sunday (02).
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The ceremony that honoured forty-one old Nalandians killed in the war and eight others injured in the war commenced after the Chief Guest Secretary Defence Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, accompanied by other distinguished guests paid floral tributes to the War Memorial in the school premises.
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Representatives of the Maha Sangha including Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhita Thero and Ven. Buddhangala Ananda Thero conducted religious rites to transfer merits to dead War Heroes.
Nalanda College Principal Mr. Hemantha Premathilaka who welcomed the Chief Guest and other invitees including Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka, Commander of the Air Force Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonatilake, Commander of the Army Lieutenant Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe and Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickramaratne told that a large number of Nalandians served with utmost commitment to free the country from terrorism under the able leadership of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
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Awards of Honour for those who had laid their lives in the battle were handed over to their next of kin by the Chief Guest while injured War Heroes were also awarded special mementoes for their service rendered to save the motherland.
Secretary Defence, Tri Service Commanders, Inspector General of Police and a number of old Naladians serving in the Armed Forces and the Police were also felicitated during the ceremony, attended by a large crowd.
Meanwhile, addressing a similar felicitation ceremony held at Dharmaraja College, Kandy Defence Secretary said that the war heroes’ victory over terrorism is not only a defeat of LTTE terrorism, but also an act of reviving the national pride among all the citizens and this is also a unique achievement as a country.
The Defence Secretary said the people’s pride had been eroded as a result of the myth about the LTTE’s invisibility created by some local and international forces.
Dharmaraja College was started 123 years ago and it has produced a large number of useful citizens to the country. They include several patriotic leaders who protected the nation.
The motto of this college was to produce citizens who can fight against threats to the country. The services rendered by the old boys of this college during the past three decades of war against terrorism which plagued the country is unique, he said.
During the past three decades, we have lost not only precious lives, but also enormous resources. Educated people left the country. Investors didn’t dare to come to Sri Lanka. Economy also collapsed. Above all, we also lost our national pride.
Everybody thought that the LTTE wouldn’t be defeated. We achieved this victory by making a lot of sacrifice. We lost about 25,000 Forces personnel. Similar number of persons became permanently disabled. Instead of lighting crackers to celebrate this victory, we have to celebrate this in a fruitful manner.
We must protect the freedom we gained, schoolchildren must make it a point to sustain this victory. Then only we can get the true benefit of this victory, the Defence Secretary said. Our soldiers also worked hard for this victory. They joined the Forces despite continuous military setbacks.
At this occasion, Major General B. W. Jayasundera, Major General M. K. Jayawardene, Brigadier R. W. Ranaweera, D.I.G. Pujith Jayasundera, SSP Daya Samaraweera, Air Force Squadron leaders S. K. Pathirana and M. Mudagammana, Navy Rear Admiral R. W. Ilangakoon and Commandore S. Dissanayake and several war heroes of the college were felicitated. (Dharmaraja College story courtesy: Daily News)
