ARMY WAR COLLEGE HOLDS ELEGANT GRADUATION CEREMONY 2025/2

The Army War College (AWC) Buttala conducted the Graduation Ceremony for the second trimester of 2025, with elegance on the 22 August 2025 at the AWC Auditorium. A total number of 125 officers upon successful completion of respective courses, namely as Senior Command Course No. 14 (SCC14), Junior Command Course No. 33 (JCC33) and Junior Staff Course No. 29 (JSC29) graduated during the ceremony and Major General P S Subath Sanjeewa RSP nps psc, the Commandant AWC who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, endorsed the register of graduates that stands testimony to their achievements.

The SCC 14 comprised of 37 Student Officers from various regiments of Sri Lanka Army, and the Junior Command Course 33 (JCC 33) comprised of 62 Student Officers including 01 officer from Sri Lanka Navy and 4 foreign officers representing Australia, Bangladesh, Maldives and Pakistan, whilst JSC 28 comprised of 26 student officers including 01 officer from Sri Lanka Air Force.

During the graduation ceremony, the foreign student officers; Captain Michael John Sehloss from the Austrian Army, Captain Sheehan Munir from Bangladesh Army, Captain Hussain Haleem from Maldives National Defence Force and Captain Tousif Afzal from Pakistan Army who followed the Junior Command Course 33 were also awarded plaques as tokens of appreciation for representing their nations and sharing cross-cultural experiences and moral values with their counterparts of the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy.

Having recognized the importance of inter- services collaboration, one Officers from Sri Lanka Navy and one Officers from Sri Lanka Air Force were also awarded with special plaques at the successful completion of the respective courses. Student Officers of JCC and JSC, who secured the first, second and third orders of merit were awarded certificates by the Commandant, Army War College. Student Officers of SCC who penned the best service paper and the best case study were awarded with special certificates whilst the best Foreign Officer was also awarded a plaque as mentioned below.

SCC

Award for the Best Service Paper - Major BCDR Madahapola RSP USP psc IG - SLA

Award for the Best Case Study - Lt Col TMT De Sila USP psc - SLAC

JCC

First in order of merit - Major KGSPK Jayathilaka - SLAC

Second in order of merit - Major PN Ariyasinghe - SLE

Third in order of merit - Major BAYL Basnayake - SLAC

JSC

First in order of merit - Capt AKKK De Silva - SLLI

Second in order of merit - Capt RADHS Ranasinghe - VIR

Third in order of merit - Capt RAPBM Ranamuka – SLE

Award for the Best Foreign Officer – Capt Sheehan Munir (Bangladesh Army)

The Deputy Commandant, Brigadier M R M R L B Meegasthanna USP ptsc and the Chief Instructor, Col DPASA Witharana psc SLAC gave away the certificates to the graduates as presented by the Senior Instructors of respective courses. The family members of the student officers who secured the distinctive achievements of the respective courses also participated in the ceremony to witness the days’ proceedings.

Towards the end of the graduation ceremony delivering the ‘Graduation Speech’, the Commandant conveyed his warm wishes to all newly graduated officers while appreciating the unwavering commitments of the student officers respectively participated each courses and most significantly, he appreciated the energetic participation of the student officers of the friendly foreign nations who were also graduated in the convocation. Further, he inspired all student officers to take over future challenges in the service by continuing the learning aspects while elevating their standards as professional officers of the developing Army. All faculty members and Permanent Staff attended the function that was formally conducted with refined elegance in dignified military attire.