INDIA ARMY CHIEF INAUGURATED THE CTT LAB AT THE SCHOOL OF SIGNALS

The 15^th day of May 2018 marked a red-letter day in the contemporary history of the School of Signals, Sri Lanka Army, as the state of the art Communication Technology Training Laboratory (CTT Lab) was inaugurated in the School of Signals by Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of Indian Army, General Bipin Rawat UYSM AVSM YSM SM VSM ADC, participating as the Chief Guest of the ceremony held at the School of Signals.

Around 1440 hrs, COAS arrived at the School of Signals with the escort of ceremonial motorcade where he was driven pass to the location of ceremony through the greetings of traditional military Guard Turnout. Military Secretary of Sri Lanka Army and Colonel Commandant of Sri Lanka Signal Corps, Major General Ajith Wijesinghe USP ndu psc warmly welcomed COAS and introduced to the Chief Signal Officer Major General Nilantha Hettiarachchi USP psc Hdmc, Senior Signal Officers, former Colonel Commandants and retired Senior Signal Officers before he was conducted to the inauguration.

As invited by Commander of the Sri Lanka Army Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake RWP RSP USP USACGSC and in the presence of Military Secretary of Sri Lanka Army and Colonel Commandant of Sri Lanka Signal Corps Major General Ajith Wijesinghe, COAS of Indian Army General Bipin Rawat unveiled the opening plaque at a brief but pompous ceremony with participation of a galaxy of Sri Lankan and Indian Senior Army Officers. Then he visited the CTT Lab complex where Instructors of the Lab briefed COAS about the function and significance of each lab.

Leaving the CTT Lab, group photographs with both serving officers and retired Senior Signal Officers were taken and then conducted the Delegation to the Officers Mess of the School of Signals for a Hi-Tea where PMC of the Officers Mess and Chief Instructor of the School of Signals, Major Dammika Hettiarachchi psc welcomed COAS and the Delegation to the Officers Mess of School of Signals.

The end of Hi-Tea, Colonel Commandant Major General Ajith Wijesinghe delivered a thanking speech appreciating the assistance extended by Indian Army to put up a State of the Art Communication Technology Training facility for Sri Lanka Army. Exchange of mementos as symbols of memory and goodwill between both parties created much glamour to the scene deriving a well harmonized milieu for the COAS to address the audience that also brought the day’s ceremony to an end as the visiting Army Chief placed his remarks by signing the VIP Visitors’ Book of the School of Signals just before he left the school.

Major General Prithi Singh, Brigadier Mukesh Aggarwal, Captain Ashok Rao (Defence Advisor to High Commission of India), Lieutenant Colonel Ravi Mishra (Assistant Defence Advisor to High Commission of India) and Major Anshul Ahlawat were also present at the ceremony.

This goodwill gesture of the Indian Army is a futuristic training complex that facilitates trainees to explore the electronic science into realities, taking up the technical challenges in the new millennium. This CTT Lab organized in three training laboratories of Radio Frequency, Fiber and Line Communication thus provides School of Signals a much needed infrastructure to elevate its Communication Technology courses to higher levels of professionalism while obtaining more professional recognition to the institution.