26th August 2023 09:32:09 Hours
Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage RWP RSP ndu, Commander of the Army who made a formal visit to the Maduru Oya Army Training School (ATS) on Friday morning (25 August) took time off to meet 31 students of nearby Alawakumbura Central College who performed extremely well in the All Island ‘Katha’ Karate Championship, held in June wining 12 Gold and 19 Silver medals.
Reminiscing about their achievements, the Commander of the Army used the opportunity to invite them to the ATS where he awarded a stock of sports equipment, worth more than Rs. 100,000/= to the school in an attempt to stimulate budding sportsmen and athletes in this remote school with children of under-privileged families.
The Commander’s special attachment to this rural school began early this year when the school Karate team, being unable to afford the cost for passage to Colombo to participate in the All Island ‘Katha’ Karate Championship turned to the Commander of the Army for assistance by way of transport as parents could not spend money for transport. The need arose barely two days before the Championship and the Commander promptly facilitated their passage in an Army bus to Colombo through Army coordination.
Those young Karate players of this school rekindled hopes for the future astonishingly and emerged winners securing 12 Gold and 19 Silver medals showing their talents. The Army Chief during his brief interaction with those students congratulated them and wished them good luck with their future studies and athletics.
