03rd March 2023 18:00:08 Hours
Colpetty-based Mahanama College, together with its Old Boys' Association, Principal, former Principals and teachers in a fitting ceremony felicitated one of its most distinguished old boys, Major General Channa Weerasuriya, Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army and three other most Senior Officers of the armed forces after inviting all four of them to their alma mater premises on Thursday (2).
The felicitation ceremony commenced soon after the day’s Chief Guest, Major General Channa Weerasuriya, together with his old Tri-Service colleagues and classmates who were also the day's laureates in the ceremony arrived there to be warmly welcomed by the Principal, Mr. A.M.A.A.C Perera.
Next, the College's Cadet platoon presented separate colourful Guard of Honour salutes to all four distinguished old boys, Major General Channa Weerasuriya, Chief of Staff of the Army, Major General Suresh Salley, Director General State Intelligence Service, Rear Admiral Jayantha Kularathna, Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy and Rear Admiral Chandana Rathnayaka, Director, Logistics in the Navy.
Afterwards, the day's four protagonists were ushered to the school auditorium for the main reception where the Principal delivered the welcome address and briefed the gathering on the reasons, attributed to the initiation of the joint felicitation of this magnitude, and how it was conceptualized and realized with everybody’s support in order to honour the services of those unforgettable War Heroes.
Next, Major General Channa Weerasuriya, Chief of Staff of the Army, Major General Suresh Salley, Director General State Intelligence Service, Rear Admiral Jayantha Kularathna, Chief of Staff of the Navy and Rear Admiral Chandana Rathnayaka, Director Logistics, Navy addressed the day's invitees respectively.
Major General Channa Weerasuriya during his speech expressed his deep gratitude to the organizers and erstwhile pals and refreshed his golden memories during College days in his reputed alma-mater. He also paid a glowing tribute to the memory of his mentors and teachers, both still alive or dead and cited a couple of noteworthy instances during his childhood at College which he claimed as fond and immortal memories.
Bringing the day's agenda to a climax, the Principal after a while invited Major General Channa Weerasuriya, Chief of Staff of the Army, Major General Suresh Shaley Director General State Intelligence Service, Rear Admiral Jayantha Kularathna, Chief of Staff of the Navy and Rear Admiral Chandana Rathnayaka, Director Logistics Navy to separately receive special mementos that signify the importance of the occasion.
In return, Major General Channa Weerasuriya and all three other laureates after a while presented a special memento to the College adding a milestone memory to the event, one of the firsts to have been jointly staged in the College history on behalf of 4 such stalwarts in the armed forces. The Principal accepted the symbolic gesture, jointly presented.
After the felicitation ceremony at the auditorium, Major General Channa Weerasuriya, together with his College comrades sat for a group photograph.
