DSCSC graduation ceremony: 102 student officers pass out

Rasika Somarathna

The graduation ceremony of the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) , Course No 6 was held at Temple Trees yesterday.

A total of 102 student officers, including 11 officers from foreign countries received graduation scrolls from Chief Guest, External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peris.

Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Tri Forces Commanders, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunge, members of the Board of Management and Faculty of the DSCSC, Security Forces' Officers, members of the diplomatic corp and family members of the graduates were present. Eleven officers from Bangladesh, China, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Sudan received their graduation in addition to 56 officers from Sri Lanka Army, 19 officers from Sri Lanka Navy and 17 officers from Sri Lanka Air Force.

Major M A K R K Abeywickremasinghe won the Golden Pen Award for the best research paper of the year.

The Golden Owl Award for the best Sri Lankan student officer went to Wg Cdr W R D M I Wickremasinghe and Major Muhammad Taimur Ashraf of the Pakistan Army won the award for the best foreign student officer.

The other Golden Owl awards were won by the Student Officers who emerged 1st in order of Merit of their respective Wings. They were Major P G T U B Jayaratne of Sri Lanka Army, LCdr (N) Y R Edirisinghe of Sri Lanka Navy, Wg Cdr Devashish Kukreti of Indian Air Force.

Prof Peiris and the Commandant of the Defence Services Command and Staff College Maj Gen Jagath Rambukpotha addressed the gathering.

The DSCSC has produced 662 graduates including 28 foreign officers.