15th September 2023 14:33:43 Hours
The General Deshamanya Denis Perera Oration 2023 was conducted in the usual grand manner at the auditorium of the Faculty of Graduate Studies of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University in Ratmalana. This time, the ninth in the series, was held on 15th september 2023.
Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, the 25th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, addressed the gathering with an extremely interesting speech, titled ‘Grey Zone Maritime Conflicts - Overspill to Indian Ocean’.
The event was attended by Mrs. Ranjani Perera, wife of late General Deshamanya Denis Perera. Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa and Vice Chancellor of KDU, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara were the in service dignitaries who attended. Past Commanders of the three services, Past Presidents of ARFRO, along with family and friends of the late General, and approximately ninety members of ARFRO too were present. The OPA was represented by its President and Secretary. The Defence Attache to the US Embassy represented the diplomatic corp.
The audience was reminded of the contribution by the late General in establishing KDU. He pioneered and triggered the conversion of the then ‘Kandawala Estate’ into the esteemed Military University it is today.
The topic of the oration generated interest. In recent years, this topic has drawn increased debate and discussion, about a state between war and peace, where an aggressor aims to reap economic, political or territorial gains associated with overt military presence without crossing the threshold of open warfare.
Past Presidents of ARFRO, General Srilal Weerasooriya, Maj Gen Lohan Gunawardena, Rear Admiral Sarath Rathnakeerthi along with the two Vice Presidents, Major General Susil Chandrapala and Rear Admiral Saman Molligoda, Chairman of the Organising Committee, Air Vice Marshal Kishan Yahampath and ARFRO Secretary Rear Admiral Tony Abeyasena formed the procession to the stage. The present President Air Chief Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala who accompanied the Orator completed the procession.
