Gajaba Regiment, one of the most prestigious and battle-hardened fighting units of the Sri Lanka Army, marked its 30th anniversary with a dinner night at Colombo Hilton on Sunday (5).
Gajaba Regiment, raised under the leadership of then Lieutenant Colonel Wijeya Wimalaratne on 14 October 1983 merging the 1 Battalion of Rajarata Rifles and Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment, has now a troop strength of about 711 officers and over 15,000 other ranks.
Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development as the Chief Guest, together with his spouse, Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Chairperson, Ministry of Defence and Urban Development Seva Vanitha Unit, attended the event at the invitation of the Commander of the Army and the Colonel of the Regiment, Major General S.W.L Daulagala.
Chief of Defence Staff, General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, the widow of the Gajaba Regiment founder, Mrs Manel Wimalaratne who was also the founder of the Gajaba Regiment Seva Vanitha Unit, spouses of the Chief of Defence Staff, Commander of the Army, a gathering of Regimental Seva Vanitha members and invitees attended the event.
Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, himself was also from the same regiment before his retirement many years ago, delivered a moving speech on the occasion reminiscing cherished memories.
Here follows the full text of Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s speech;
It gives me great pleasure to speak at this occasion which marks the 30th Anniversary of the Gajaba Regiment. Since its inception, the Gajaba Regiment has played a major role in upholding the security of our nation. As one of the regiment's founding officers, I am very proud of its many accomplishments during the last thirty years.
The Gajaba Regiment was formed under the leadership of then Lt. Col. Vijaya Wimalaratne on 14th October 1983, with the merging of the 1st Battalion of the Rajarata Rifles and the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment. The Regiment was headquartered at Saliyapura, where it stands proudly today. Incidentally the selection and acquisition of this land previously for the Rajarata Rifles was my responsibility as a young officer. I am happy to note that the Gajaba regiment, which initially had only 36 officers and 752 soldiers, today has 711 officers and more than 15,000 other ranks. It is widely recognised as the one of the best, most battle hardened Regiments in the Sri Lanka Army.
The Regiment's excellence is attested to by its involvement in all the major operations conducted by the Sri Lanka Army in the war against terrorism. I am proud to note that most of the senior commanders who played an integral role in the Humanitarian Operation between 2006 and 2009 belong to this Regiment. Even in the early years of the war, the Gajaba Regiment was instrumental in containing the rise of the LTTE and it played an integral role in the Vadamarachchi operation. Moreover, during the entire period of the conflict, many of its personnel have won numerous honours for bravery and outstanding service to the nation. 171 of its officers and more than 4,000 of its soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the motherland, and a further 87 officers and more than 4,500 soldiers have been injured in battle.
Much of the credit for the accomplishments of the Gajaba Regiment can be attributed to the inspiring leadership of its founding father, Gen. Vijaya Wimalaratne. He was responsible for guiding and training the officers under his command to become able field officers with a high degree of competence and professionalism. The most senior officers of the Regiment today can be considered his products, and they carry on the values he instilled in them. Gen. Wimalaratne was a professional in the highest sense of the word, and his continual insistence on working with dedication and commitment and to the highest standard is one of the main reasons for the success of this Regiment and its personnel.
As a leader, Gen. Wimalaratne believed that it was very important to identify the capabilities of everybody under your command, and to use their talents to the fullest without discarding anyone. He felt that a good leader would make the most of the human resources given to him by training and guiding them to improve themselves and give of their best. At the same time, he understood that it is important for leaders to instil team spirit in their subordinates and to provide them with good facilities. With this in mind, he took great care to uplift the standards of accommodation at Saliyapura, and also ensured that a strong sense of camaraderie was instilled amongst its personnel. He made sure that the officers' families would remain close to one another by organising frequent get-togethers and social occasions that greatly helped build up the spirit of the regiment. I believe it is of the utmost importance that this spirit should continue to be cultivated within the Gajaba Regiment.
Five years after the end of the war, Sri Lanka today is one of the most peaceful countries in all of Asia, and is in the midst of a wide ranging economic transformation through rapid economic growth. In a situation such as this, while maintaining national security and ensuring that our hard won peace is maintained remains the primary duty of the military, there are other roles too that it has to play. In this context, I am happy to note that the Gajaba Regiment has also contributed greatly to the national development effort over the past few years. As we all look towards building an ever brighter future, I am certain that the officers and personnel of the regiment will continue their unstinting service to Sri Lanka in whatever capacities they are required to contribute in. In closing, I wish all "Keterians", as Gen. Wimalaratne used to refer to the members of our regiment, to uphold the same spirit he instilled in us. I wish you all a pleasant day. Thank you.
(Photo courtesy: MoD)
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