01st March 2023 23:38:20 Hours
The Army Seva Vanitha Unit (ASVU) expanding its welfare role, further awarded 140 scholarships for children of fallen War Heroes, serving and retired Army personnel and civil staff in the Army in collaboration with the Bank of Ceylon (BOC) during a simple ceremony, held this morning (March 1) at the Army Headquarters.
Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage, Commander of the Army at the invitation of Mrs Janaki Liyanage, President, ASVU graced the awarding ceremony as the Chief Guest with Mrs Ruchindra Perera, Assistant General Manager, BOC, Western Province - Central, Mrs Mithila Dilhani, Senior Area Manager, BOC, Colombo-North, Mr Uditha Perera, Manager, BOC, Lake House Branch and BOC representatives as special guests for the event.
The lighting of the traditional oil lamp and recital of the ASVU theme song started the day’s agenda, followed by observance of a two-minute silence to honour the memory of fallen War Heroes. After a while, a video clip that speaks of the ASVU’s continued welfare role was screened before the gathering.
At first, 30 students who have passed the 5th Grade Scholarship Examination in 2021 received each a bank deposit of Rs.15,000 plus a pack of school accessories, worth Rs. 7,000. The deposit in addition received a sum of Rs. 2,000 from the BOC as an incentive to those students.
In addition, 71 students who have passed the G.C.E (Ordinary Level) examination in 2021 received a bank deposit of Rs.20,000 and school accessories worth Rs. 7,500, together with a bank deposit of Rs. 2,000 from the BOC.
Furthermore, a Rs.25,000 bank deposit from the ASVU and a separate school aid pack, worth Rs. 3,000 together with a bank deposit of Rs. 2,000 from the BOC were awarded to 39 students who have passed the G.C.E (Advanced Level) examination and qualified for the university entrance in 2021.
Towards the end of the awarding ceremony, the Army Chief presented a special memento to the Assistant General Manager of the BOC and the President, ASVU gave away a memento to the Manager, BOC, Lake House Branch in appreciation of the bank’s contribution to the success of the project.
Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage in a brief address to the occasion conveyed his congratulations to the beneficiaries and urged them to study well and become patriotic citizens of the country in the future.
As the ceremony was drawing to a close, a beneficiary raised the vote of thanks and expressed gratitude to the ASVU for the incentives. The day’s Chief Guest took time off and interacted afterwards with those beneficiaries and invitees, sharing a couple of thoughts and pleasantries during refreshments. Adding memories, all the guests sat for a group photograph with the beneficiaries.
Major General C.D Weerasuriya RWP RSP ndu, Chief of Staff, Major General D.G.S Senarath Yapa RWP RSP ndu, Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General M.G.W.W.W.M.C.B Wickramasinghe RWP RSP ndu psc, Adjutant General, Senior Officers, senior ASVU members, Officers and Other Ranks and beneficiaries with families were associated with the day’s awarding ceremony.
