KDA Intake X celebrates 20th anniversary

The Intake X of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy (KDA) celebrates its 20th Anniversary today.

The KDA's Tenth Intake has come a long way since November 8, 1992.

Seventy three Officer Cadets entered the KDA as its Tenth Intake and some of them have made the supreme sacrifice while serving in the North. The Tenth Intake has lost seven of its Officers in the war against terrorism.

Among those Officers Killed in Action were five from the Army (Captain Muditha Abeysekara, Captain Saliya Fernando, Major Duminda Attanagoda, Major Nandana Jayasingheand Major Terrence Mackelvie) while the other two were from the Navy (Lieutenant Saman Muttettuwatta and Commander Nishantha Abeysinghe). Three young men - Midshipman Jagath Rajapakhsha of the Navy, Second Lieutenant Harischandra Nanayakkara and Major Prasad Perera left this 'band of brothers' untimely under tragic circumstances.

As a forerunner to the celebrations, a formal commemoration ceremony was held at the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment Centre at Ambepussa, recently by the serving and retired officers of the Tenth Intake with the participation of parents, families and children of the fallen Officers.

They were felicitated with mementos and the gathering was taken on an emotional journey down memory lane covering the memorable events and highlights of the Tenth Intake's activities of the past 20 years.