Remembering a true leader

President Mahinda Rajapaksa placed floral tributes at the foot of the D A Rajapaksa statue at Tangalle town yesterday participating at the 43rd D A Rajapaksa Commemoration ceremony. This event is organized annually parallel to D A Rajapaksa's birth anniversary.

First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, Namal Rajapaksa MP, family members, Ministers and MPs, schoolchildren and residents participated. Kelaniya University Senior Lecturer D M Ajith Dissanayeka delivered the commemorative oration.

Parallel to the commemoration ceremony a series of debates and general knowledge contests and sports events were also organized with the participation of schoolchildren.

Contest winners received awards, while Sisura scholarships were granted to University and schoolchildren by the President.

D A Rajapaksa was born on November 1905 and was selected unanimously for the second Senate on July 14, 1945. He was referred to as the Lion of Ruhuna for his leadership and services offered to the people in Ruhuna. He was a people-friendly leader and respected local values and thoughts. He joined S W R D Bandaranaike to establish the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and this was a chapter written in gold in history.