24th June 2023 09:00:20 Hours
The SLMA Library, with over 15,000 books and fully-fledged facilities plays a pivotal role in imparting the much-needed academic knowledge to trainees and officers. During the first half of the year 2023, several authors and institutions donated a considerable number of books to the SLMA Library to reinforce the intellectual horizon of library users.
Major Sujith Chaminda Edirisinghe’s ‘Avi Bimaka Giniyama’ published in 2022 was one of the most valuable military publications donated by Brigadier Sumal Hemarathna RWP RSP psc himself to the Academy Library, which entangles a dreadful and sensitive battlefield experience of the three-decade drawn war of the country. The heroic endeavor of Second Lieutenant Saliya Aladeniya at Kokavil in July 1991 to rescue 61 men in response to an LTTE assault has set the major theme for this book.
“It worked for me: In Life and Leadership” was another interesting publication added to the book store of the Academy Library by the Association of Retired Flag Rank Officers (ARFRO) as a donation in the year 2023. This book included a collection of lessons learned and anecdotes drawn from Colin Powell's childhood in the Bronx, his military training and career, and his work under four presidential administrations.
Commodore Ajith Boyagoda and Sunila Galappatti donated ‘A Long Watch’ published in 2016, a fascinating moving memoir with a glimpse of untold stories of the military men who survived and didn’t survive on the fall of brutal wars in Sri Lanka in recent history.
A few copies of ‘The Conflict that Eluded Peace’ authored by General (Rtd.) Shantha Kottegoda WWV RWP RSP VSV USP ndc was donated to the Military Academy and the book provides an analytical discourse of the origin of the three decade long armed conflict, personal anecdotes of the author as a Commander, challenges and the lessons derived through crucial turning points of the battles by the fellow members of the ARFRO.
Thirty book publications in multi-disciplinary fields such as Research Methodology, Business, Statistics, Information Technology, Engineering, Physics, and Accounting were some of the new arrivals to the Academy Library as generous donations from the Directorate of Training - Army Headquarters.
Police Inspector Shrinath Bandara’s publication “Tunic Kabaya Matha Piththala Boththam” ( “Brass Buttons on Tunic Coat” in English) which involves the Law and Order of the country, challenges faced by the general public against law of the country, social value system, evolution of law over time, human rights and human civilization etc. with interesting and profound analysis was presented to the library.
“Mahanuwara Yugaye Apprekata Viththi ( “Infamous Stories of Kandyan Kingdom” in English) by Chamikara Pilapitiya, a reveal of establishment of the Kandyan Kingdom, its sovereignty for over three centuries, and thorough discussions of certain disparities between colonial and local archives was donated by the author himself in order to augment the history learning of readers.
“The Extra Mile: A Surgeon’s Experiences” written by Gamini Goonetilleke was donated as the newest arrival to the Reference Section of the Academy Library. The book unfolds his experiences as a surgeon in managing war injuries in operational areas and hospitals with a series of breath-taking episodes.
All these generous donations by authors and varied institutes are complimented as treasures to SLMA Library and the Academy may express its humble thanks to all of them for their social service of sharing their expertise and intellectual capital with enthusiastic users in thirst of knowledge.
