The concept of the Seva Vanitha Branch was formulated by the then President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka His Excellency J.R Jayewardene and under the chairmanship of the then First Lady Elena Jayawardena after the importance of establishing a voluntary organization, called the Seva Vanitha for spouses of the employees was highlighted.
With the inauguration of the Branch on the instructions of the then Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Major General T.I Weeratunga VSV RCDS ndc, the Seva Vanitha Branch of the Army was formed on 12 July 1984 and Mrs. Sonia Weeratunga, the spouse of the incumbent Commander of the Army was appointed as the first Chairperson of the Army Seva Vanitha Branch who served from 12 July 1984 to 11 February 1985.
The Branch was established with the aim of providing lands, constructing houses, completing under construction houses, donating furniture and other necessary items to enhance the living standards of the next of kin of war heroes who were killed/ disabled during the war, fulfilling the needs of disabled war heroes who are hospitalized and under continuous medication, establishing welfare shops enabling the Army personnel and their family members to purchase goods at concessionary prices, establishing pre-schools for kids, management of daycare centers for children of Army personnel and civil staff, providing medical assistance for the Army personnel and their families, supporting the projects of national and religious significance, formulating policies to uplift welfare measures for the next of kin of war heroes who were killed, missing and injured during the war, launching projects for the members and children of Army families to expand their knowledge on technology and other trades and providing beauty culture facilities.
In order to achieve above aims, several programmes have been earmarked such as implementing measures to uplift the morale of war heroes who are in active service, launch of the projects and provision of scholarships to uplift educational standards of the war heroes’ children and extending of assistance for Army personnel, affected by natural calamities.
During the tenure of Mrs. Dilhani Weerasuriya, who assumed duties as the Chairperson of the Army Seva Vanitha Branch on 17 December 1998, branches of all regiments of the Sri Lanka Army were established under the name of Regimental Women's Clubs and affiliated to the Seva Vanitha Branch of the Army. The wives of the Colonels of the Regiment and Colonel Commandants of respective Regiments became Chairpersons of the regimental women's clubs. In 2006, the Regimental Women’s Club was re-named as the Seva Vanitha Branch in each respective regiment.
