The Minister who was chief guest at the annual convocation of the Kotelawala Defence Academy held at the BMICH said the rationale behind the joint training provided by the Academy was to lay an informal, yet a strong foundation for the mutual understanding and co-operation during joint operations which has been discovered to be a critical factor by the developed countries for achieving success in military operations.
While more than 130 who completed their courses received degrees from the Chancellor Gen. J.E.D. Perera, the Deputy Minister handed the special award for the best overall performance to Wing Commander S.K. Pathirana and to those who secured the best overall performance in academic studies in engineering, management and technical sciences, arts and commerce.
Mr. Wickramanayake said the KDA was also different from a conventional university because in addition to subjects as engineering, technical sciences and management it also provided students with basic military training in a highly disciplined environment with total personality development and an emphasis in sports and battle training.
"It is the duty of the Academy to utilize these unique features with the aim of nurturing future officers of the security forces with a rare blend of physical as well as mental and intellectual prowess. This, I believe is compulsory in the modem context in which sheer bravery and physical stamina alone will not make a capable officer. Today, the country needs highly versatile, knowledgeable and intelligent military leaders. I am convinced the KDA is producing such officers with the capability to take up more complex challenges", he said.
Mr. Wickramanayake said the KDA since its inception in early 1980 and the granting of university status in 1988 had grown from strength to strength and more than 1,300 graduates including 65 female officers left its portals to serve with distinction in the security forces.
He said since 1996 the Academy had been training cadets from several SAARC countries as well and today the KDA enjoys prestigious membership in the Commonwealth Universities Association of UK.
Mr Wickramanayake said: "Under these circumstances, we would be failing in our duty if we do not thank those pioneers who were responsible for the establishment of an academy of this stature, first for having the foresight and for convincing; the then government in getting the project implemented.
“On this occasion we must also express the gratitude of our nation to former Prime Minister Sir John Kotelawala for the magnanimous gesture in gifting his Walauwa and property at Kandawala to establish this prestigious academy. The future of a nation depended on the creativity and innovation of its people, and the quality and quantity of research conducted by its intellectuals. It is the responsibility of the intellectuals of a country to engage in research that would guarantee constructive changes. And, it is the responsibility of the government to create an environment conducive for such advanced activities. The Government is strongly committed to this task and is taking steps to stop the brain drain and encourage research in all fields of human development, so that such knowledge can be maximally utilized for the benefit of the nation, It is only then, we believe, that we will be able to liberate ourselves to claim that we are a truly independent nation".
He said the government has realized this urgent need at this crucial juncture of our nation, where the social, political and economic challenges are becoming more and more complex in the midst of globalization and it was heartening to note that senior and middle level military officers showed a keen interest in pursuing high-level degrees in military management at the KDA.
"I have do doubt that with the academic and military training received at the KDA, the officers moulded there, will exert a positive influence on the overall outlook of the Sri Lankan security forces. It is indeed the responsibility of the senior military officers to educate themselves and to disseminate such knowledge among those whom they command", the Deputy Minister of Defence said.
