DA Rajapaksa commemorated

Chaminda Perera and Dharma Sri Abeyratne

A ceremony to commemorate veteran politician DA Rajapaksa was held at Temple Trees yesterday under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and family members of the Rajapaksa family.

Senior researcher and lecturer of the Department of Language and Cultures of South Asia of the University of London Dr Amal Gunasena delivered the commemorative oration to mark the 45th death anniversary of former minister and one time Deputy Speaker D A Rajapaksa, who rendered a yeomen service to the country.

Dr Gunasena commemorative oration was titled 'Formation of a developed, unitary Sri Lankan state through a trilingual culture after the influence of the social transformation from the British period to modern times.'

The event organised by the DA Rajapaksa Education, Cultural and Social Service Foundation was chaired by Chief Incumbent of Sri Lanka Amarapura Chapter Most Venerable Davullena Gnaneesvara Thera who delivered the keynote speech.

The commemorative event commenced with the garlanding of the DA Rajapaksa statue by Senior Minister Professor Tissa Vitharana. Members of the Maha Sanga, First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, family members of the Rajapaksa family and ministers were among the participants.