Sub News

72nd Army Day lies on 10 October 2021 and as a practice formal ceremonies take place at each military establishment, with the guidelines of the Army Headquarters. Following the guidelines an iconic ceremony held with the patronage of Colonel of the Regiment VIR, Major General Sisira Pilapitiya at the Vijayabahu Infantry Regimental Centre, Boyagane, Kurunegala by adhering all the preventive measures for COVID-19 pandemic.

By responding to a request made by the National Thalassemia Organization, troops of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment Centre volunteered to donate blood for the benefit of thalassemia patients on 15 September 2021 (Wednesday) at the “Salute” Multifunctional Hall premises at Boyagane, Kurunegala.

Illustrating the sportsmanship of VIR and amplifying the fact that courage and skills cannot be surpassed by a physical disability, VIR Para Athlete Sergeant Hettiarachchi HACS has been selected to represent Sri Lanka in a Paralympic two times consecutively. He will compete in the Javelin Throw event of Tokyo Paralympic 2020 Japan held in August 2021and he represented Sri Lanka for the same event in Rio Paralympic 2016 Brazil.

Witness the interview he conducted with the “papare.com” sports blog from the following link.

Demarcating a qualitative enhancement of the organization and assuring the progressive upliftment of the cadre grading, twenty seven (27) Colonels of the Sri Lanka Army Regular Force conferred to the rank of Brigadier on 16 August 2021 on a directive of His Excellency the President with the concurrence of the Ministry of Defence and General L H S C Silva WWV RWP RSP VSV USP ndc psc MPhil, Acting Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army.

Paying obeisance to the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth Relic) in Kandy and the forthcoming annual Sri Dalada Perahera festival, Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment troops donated more than ten tons of dried coconut (Coppara) for the 8th consecutive year on 09 August 2021 for the illumination of the Dalada Pageant adhering the guidelines stipulated to prevent the COVID-19 outbreak.

On 03 August 2021, revitalizing an age-old military tradition, Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment Centre hosted a farewell military dinner night by adhering all the safety measures stipulated by the Government and the health authorities to prevent the COVID- 19 pandemic, in honour of the retiring Brigadier S J N Mahesh Kumar, former Brigadier (FMA) of Forward Maintenance Area (North Central) and outgoing member of the Vijayabahu Seva Vanitha Branch Mrs.

Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment, following its’ traditions and military formalities with the blessings of the Commander Security Force (Mullaitivu) and Colonel of the Regiment VIR, Major General Sisira Pilapitiya and supervision of the Centre Commandant Brigadier Sumal Hemarathna, saluted the newly-promoted Brigadiers of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment on 03 August 2021 in a fitting ceremony, held at the VIR Regimental Centre at Boyagane, Kurunegala, giving pride of place to military formalities by adhering all the health precautions and guidelines stipulated to prevent COVID-

On invitation of the Commanding Officer 4th Battalion the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment Major H G S Gallage psc, Commander Security Forces Headquarters (Mullaitivu) and Colonel of the Regiment of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment Major General S P K A Pilapitiya RWP RSP USP made formal visit to 4th Battalion the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment on 27 July 2021 in parallel with battalion 32nd Anniversary.

Brigadier K D M L Samaradiwakara RWP RSP psc assumed office as the Deputy Commandant of the Sri Lanka Military Academy (SLMA) on 17 July 2021 during a brief ceremony at the Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa. The Sri Lanka Military Academy (SLMA) is the premier training institute of the Sri Lanka Army which trains officer cadets from enlistment to commissioning.

Troops of 23rd Battalion the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment taking their own initiative, donated dry ration packs each worth of 4500.00 Rs for 250 low income families living in the general area of Oddusudan on 28 June 2021 as a relief measure since COVID-19 travel restrictions have compelled them to stay indoors. The donation was sponsored by, Ven. Thalalle Chandakiththi Thero at the request of Commanding Officer 23 VIR, Lieutenant Colonel A B S Athukorala. This meritorious event was attended by Ven.