Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne (Retd) inspires young officers at Eastern Naval Command with compelling address

Another Experience Based Lecture (EBL), conducted to promote professional development of budding naval officers, was successfully held at the Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda Auditorium of the Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA), Trincomalee on 13th May 2023. The fifth step of EBL series was conducted by the 20th Commander of the Navy and former Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne (Retd). The topic of his speech was “Location, Location, and Location: Defence Diplomacy & Indo Pacific Strategies for Sri Lanka”.

EBL series is conducted under the able guidance of the Commandant Naval & Maritime Academy, Commodore Buddhika Liyanagamage, with a view to instill a sense of pride, motivation, and responsibility in officer under trainees at NMA and young officers in the Eastern Naval Command. During his address, Admiral Wijegunaratne emphasized the geographical importance of Sri Lanka in the Indo-Pacific Region and in the global context. Further, he requested young officers who are exposed to foreign training to get the maximum benefit such opportunities and serve the motherland.

Commander Eastern Naval Area and Commandant Volunteer Naval Force, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara, senior and junior officers, officer under trainees and a group of senior sailors were also present on this occasion.