“Sports is a great leveller where everyone is judged on nothing, but performances. Exceptional performances could be achieved only through dedication, commitment and rigorous hard training. Sports in that direction is a joy which in turn brings, great qualities into your life,” so said Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army, delivering the keynote address as the Chief Guest at the ‘Colours Awarding Ceremony-2013’ at University of Moratuwa on Friday (21) evening.
Lieutenant General Ratnayake upon arrival at the University premises was received by Vice Chancellor Professor Ananda Jayawardene and a group of academics before he was conducted to the venue where the award of colours took place.
Addressing the gathering at the occasion, the Commander highlighted the importance of sports to face any challenge in life, saying that it would not only be a team spirit, but is a field which elevates one to exceptional high levels, almost in everything.
“History of sports has practically proven that sportsmen are always on higher elevation, no matter what the situation is. When sports joins with academia, it becomes much more easier for you to mould your valuable character, morality and all other virtues,” the Commander added.
The ‘Colours Awarding Ceremony-2013’ at the University of Moratuwa on Friday (21), recognized talents of 420 undergraduates who have excelled in different sports during the year 2013, bringing reputation to the University. Some of them, in addition, have reached national levels securing a large number of medals.
The day’s Chief Guest gave away Colours to a group of those achievers in the University of Moratuwa.
Here are the excerpts of the Commander’s speech to the occasion;
“I consider this a special privilege and an honour to be here for your Colours Awarding Ceremony 2013 as the Chief Guest and feel twice honoured since the invitation symbolizes, awarded as a salute to the entire soldier community.
I am grateful therefore to the Vice Chancellor and the Organizing Committee as well as all those who've contributed to this event for offering me this landmark opportunity. I am aware that you are the cream of our student community who enter universities in Sri Lanka. It is very encouraging to learn that your commitment and hard work amidst such a busy schedule has produced remarkable results in the field of sports.
It is public knowledge that the University of Moratuwa has produced an eminent array of sportsmen and sportswomen who can reach the national level. Over the years, these undergraduates of the Moratuwa University, have won laurels at national level for both individual and collective achievements in a wide range of sports. No doubt, such achievements bring honour and prestige to your university as well as to the country. It is also worth mentioning that your university since its inception has been producing many an expert in the field of Engineering, thereby strengthening technical needs of our country in the past few decades, which itself is a salutary move.
I am gladdened to hear about your historical achievement of winning the Overall Championship of the Sri Lanka University Games for the 1st time in the University’s Sporting history, beating all other lager Universities with student population as high as some 12,000, compared to your middle level University nearly with some 6,000 students.
I also heard that you have been winning the Inter University Men’s Championship repeatedly. It is not an easy task of winning such a honour but it would be more difficult to sustain it continuously. Please accept my best wishes and congratulations on these gains. Receipt of Colours by around 420 sportsmen/ women of your university, is a remarkable milestone in your path to academic maturity because it is very rarely we get so many Colour recipients in one stage.
Those receiving Colours today have excelled in their respective sports in the face of formidable challenges and you have been successful in overcoming those challenges with determination and dedication. Because it is the determination and dedication that brings you closer to the final goal in your life.
The crest that is pinned closer to your heart today is the reflection of the Moratuwa University's name or its self consciousness. I am a person who had the same experience exactly two decades ago when I was awarded the Army colours. So I know its symbolic value to your future, your career and to the rest of your life.
I wish to remind you that this unique honour will certainly help inspire you, throughout particularly at crucial junctures in the journey of life since sports means a lot to someone promising like you.
Sports is a great leveller where everyone is judged on nothing but performances. Exceptional performances could be achieved, as I said, only through dedication, commitment and rigorous hard training. Sports in that direction is a joy which in turn bring, great qualities into your life.
History of sports has practically proven that sportsmen are always on higher elevation, no matter what the situation is. When sports joins with academia, it becomes much more easier for you to mould your valuable character, morality and all other virtues. I hope you all will use all this experience and the knowledge to take the country forward.”
Lieutenant General Ratnayake upon arrival at the University premises was received by Vice Chancellor Professor Ananda Jayawardene and a group of academics before he was conducted to the venue where the award of colours took place.
Addressing the gathering at the occasion, the Commander highlighted the importance of sports to face any challenge in life, saying that it would not only be a team spirit, but is a field which elevates one to exceptional high levels, almost in everything.
“History of sports has practically proven that sportsmen are always on higher elevation, no matter what the situation is. When sports joins with academia, it becomes much more easier for you to mould your valuable character, morality and all other virtues,” the Commander added.
The ‘Colours Awarding Ceremony-2013’ at the University of Moratuwa on Friday (21), recognized talents of 420 undergraduates who have excelled in different sports during the year 2013, bringing reputation to the University. Some of them, in addition, have reached national levels securing a large number of medals.
The day’s Chief Guest gave away Colours to a group of those achievers in the University of Moratuwa.
Here are the excerpts of the Commander’s speech to the occasion;
“I consider this a special privilege and an honour to be here for your Colours Awarding Ceremony 2013 as the Chief Guest and feel twice honoured since the invitation symbolizes, awarded as a salute to the entire soldier community.
I am grateful therefore to the Vice Chancellor and the Organizing Committee as well as all those who've contributed to this event for offering me this landmark opportunity. I am aware that you are the cream of our student community who enter universities in Sri Lanka. It is very encouraging to learn that your commitment and hard work amidst such a busy schedule has produced remarkable results in the field of sports.
It is public knowledge that the University of Moratuwa has produced an eminent array of sportsmen and sportswomen who can reach the national level. Over the years, these undergraduates of the Moratuwa University, have won laurels at national level for both individual and collective achievements in a wide range of sports. No doubt, such achievements bring honour and prestige to your university as well as to the country. It is also worth mentioning that your university since its inception has been producing many an expert in the field of Engineering, thereby strengthening technical needs of our country in the past few decades, which itself is a salutary move.
I am gladdened to hear about your historical achievement of winning the Overall Championship of the Sri Lanka University Games for the 1st time in the University’s Sporting history, beating all other lager Universities with student population as high as some 12,000, compared to your middle level University nearly with some 6,000 students.
I also heard that you have been winning the Inter University Men’s Championship repeatedly. It is not an easy task of winning such a honour but it would be more difficult to sustain it continuously. Please accept my best wishes and congratulations on these gains. Receipt of Colours by around 420 sportsmen/ women of your university, is a remarkable milestone in your path to academic maturity because it is very rarely we get so many Colour recipients in one stage.
Those receiving Colours today have excelled in their respective sports in the face of formidable challenges and you have been successful in overcoming those challenges with determination and dedication. Because it is the determination and dedication that brings you closer to the final goal in your life.
The crest that is pinned closer to your heart today is the reflection of the Moratuwa University's name or its self consciousness. I am a person who had the same experience exactly two decades ago when I was awarded the Army colours. So I know its symbolic value to your future, your career and to the rest of your life.
I wish to remind you that this unique honour will certainly help inspire you, throughout particularly at crucial junctures in the journey of life since sports means a lot to someone promising like you.
Sports is a great leveller where everyone is judged on nothing but performances. Exceptional performances could be achieved, as I said, only through dedication, commitment and rigorous hard training. Sports in that direction is a joy which in turn bring, great qualities into your life.
History of sports has practically proven that sportsmen are always on higher elevation, no matter what the situation is. When sports joins with academia, it becomes much more easier for you to mould your valuable character, morality and all other virtues. I hope you all will use all this experience and the knowledge to take the country forward.”
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