31st October 2022 10:54:46 Hours
The Sri Lanka Army repeating its customary traditions that have thrived since its founding during the weekend hosted General Shavendra Silva, the immediate past Commander of the Army and the incumbent Chief of Defence Staff to a glamorously-staged formal farewell dinner night at Colombo Hilton Hotel on Sunday (23), where a distinguished cream of the organization, led by Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage, Commander of the Army, together with Mrs Janaki Liyanage, President, Army Seva Vanitha Unit (ASVU) extended a warm reception to General Shavendra Silva and Mrs Sujeewa Nelson, the immediate past President, ASVU.
The Gajaba Regiment-groomed General Shavendra Silva being the most senior serving officer with the highest number of medals in the Army with a service career of more than 39 years relinquished the office of the Commander of the Army on 31 May 2022 while continuing his service as the Chief of Defence Staff.
The farewell ceremony, attended by Senior Officers and their spouses, representatives of all regiments and island-wide establishments heralded its onset no sooner than the day's protagonist, General Shavendra Silva, and Mrs. Sujeewa Nelson arrived at the hotel premises to be greeted and welcomed by the Army Chief and his spouse before the duo was ushered to the main hall, preceded by bagpipers, typical of military functions.
The video footage that screened afterwards elaborated how the day's Chief Guest after his birth as an infant inched his way to be what he is today and his steady rise to the mantle of his military career. The Commander of the Army, the host of the day's ceremony in his talk to the august assembly spoke highly of the dedicated roles his immediate predecessor played in various roles, including the gallantry shown in the battlefields as a valiant infantryman of the 'Keterian' family. The Army Chief also paid gratitude to Mrs. Sujeewa Nelson for her productive role played as the President Army Seva Vanitha Unit. In his farewell address, General Shavendra Silva expressed his gratitude to all the officers and other ranks, including the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage for elaborate farewell arrangements of high quality and recalled how dedicatedly all of those past veterans served the nation. He also wished well to all officers, men, and women in the Army. Formalities of the day culminated with an awarding of a customary memento to the chief guest by the Army Chief.
Chief of Staff, Commandant, SLAVF and a host of Senior Officers were associated with the ceremonial occasion.
