26th March 2018 20:30:14 Hours
Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayak visited at the VIR Headquarter at Boyagane, Kurunegalaon March 24, 2018as the second time,In Parallel to the 28th anniversary of Vijayabahu Infantry Regimentwith the invitation of Colonel of the Regiment, VIR Major General AjithKariyakarawana.
Major General Kariyakarawana in the company of the VIR Centre Commandant Brigadier SrinathAriyasinghe warmly received the visiting Commander and conducted him to the War Heroes' Memorial and the adjoining ParamaWeeraVibushana (PWV) statues, the first of it in a regimental centre after the Commander reviewed the Guard Turn Out salute, accorded to him around the main entrance premises.
Laying of floral wreaths at the VIR war monument and the PWV statutes that had been erected in memory of two VIR War Heroes who made the supreme sacrifice while fighting and were posthumously awarded the highest gallantry award, ParamaWeeraVibushana (PWV) set the stage ready afterwards for the day’s Chief Guest to receive the military honours, the ceremonial Guard of Honour in line with military formalities.
After a while, the Commander of the Army posed for a group photograph with the Regimental staff and Officers and inquired into the status quo from the Colonel of the Regiment in the presence of other Senior Officers.
As one more important feature of the day’s itinerary, the Commander was then invited to plant a sapling in the VIR compound as a memory to the occasion.
The day’s proceedings reached its apex as the Chief Guest was next invited to open the new three-storied accommodation complex for Other Rankers, for which the cornerstone was laid in less than a year.
In his address to a large gathering of Officers and Other Ranks at the VIR Gymnasium premises, the Commander praised the good work being meted out by VIR soldiers around the island. He also underlined the importance of dedicated and disciplined services of Army personnel for the betterment of the Nation.
At the same occasion, Major General Kariyakarawana awarded a memento to the Commander as a token of appreciation and his visit to the RHQ.
The visiting Commander also had an interactive session with All Ranks who had gathered at ‘The Salute’ reception hall before he sat with All Ranks for lunch at the same venue.
