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Sri Lanka Army

Defender of the Nation

President Opens Architecturally Unique New Building at Colombo DSC &;amp; Gives Away Prizes

President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Chief Guest graced the opening ceremony of the new primary school building and the prize-giving at Defence Services College (DSC), Malay Street, Colombo 2 this morning (25).

At the entrance to the College premises, several students, clad in school uniforms, presented traditional sheaves of betel and bouquets to the Chief Guest, extending a warm welcome, together with school authorities and other distinguished guests present there. The oriental band of the school conducted the day’s Chief Guest afterwards to receive the Guard of Honour, presented by College scouts, in front of the new building as everything was set for the grand opening.

The most important moment of the ceremony, dawned next when the President was invited to declare open the new DSC primary building by cutting a ribbon. Lighting of the traditional oil lamp and unveiling of a plaque to the same effect, in the midst of Seth Pirith, chanted by members of the Maha Sangha, marked the formal house-warming. Accompanied by school authorities, President Rajapaksa afterwards inspected the new building, touring inside and received the salute of the College cub scouts as he stepped out to proceed to the main auditorium.

Next, the recital of the College song rent the air as the audience in the auditorium, comprised of Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Secretary Defence, Tri-service Commanders, rose to their feet together to pay tribute to the memory of fallen War Heroes with a one-minute silence.

Other formalities such as welcome speech, welcome song, presentation of the College minutes and the newspaper supplement, ‘Viru Vidu Piyasa’, produced by students, receipt of ISO certificate for the College and opening of the new DSC web portal, took place afterwards before the prize-giving in phases, got underway.

President Rajapaksa, Mr Mohanlal Grero, Deputy Minister of Education and Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence & Urban Development joined distribution of prizes among students who have performed exceptionally well in different spheres of school curriculum. Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa after the main ceremony, together with service chiefs toured the college premises and saw for themselves how restoration of all imperial buildings has been done.

Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Chairperson, MoD Seva Vanitha Unit, Mrs Indu Ratnayake, Additional Secretary, MoD, Mrs Damayanthi Ratnayake, Chairperson, Army Seva Vanitha Unit, spouses of tri-service chiefs and several other ladies were present at the ceremony.

DSC was founded in January 2007 as a conceptual notion of Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa who wanted Ranaviru children be educated in a proper school without giving that burden to the War Hero father who by that time was fighting a fierce battle against terrorism.

Now, considered as a special National School, the DSC has achieved greater heights in music, scouting, Grade 5 Scholarship Examination and a few other areas.

The DSC, now equipped with own transport services for students attending the College on daily basis, has its own swimming pool, library, medical unit, school band, laboratory, gymnasium and all equipment for sports and the College scouts, have so far received more than 60 ‘Rantharuwa’ medals.