https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Sri Lanka Army Chief Reconnects with Alma Mater at IMA Passing Out Parade

The event marked the culmination of his four-day official visit to India, reinforcing the deep-rooted military ties between the two nations.
Indian Masterminds Stories

In a moment of powerful symbolism and enduring camaraderie, Lieutenant General BKGM Lasantha Rodrigo, Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, returned to his alma mater, the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, as the Reviewing Officer for the Passing Out Parade held on June 14, 2025. The event marked the culmination of his four-day official visit to India, reinforcing the deep-rooted military ties between the two nations.

Commissioned in December 1990 from IMA’s 87th Course, Lieutenant General Rodrigo described his return as a deeply emotional homecoming. Addressing the cadets, he emphasised that joining the armed forces is not merely about earning a rank but embracing a lifelong journey of service, discipline, integrity, and honour. Invoking the IMA Credo and Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw’s famous exhortation—”Be truthful, be honest, be fearless”—he called on the newly commissioned officers to lead with courage and compassion.

The event was especially significant for Sri Lanka, as two of its officer cadets—including RMNL Rathnayake, son of Brigadier RMSP Rathnayake—were among those commissioned, bringing the total number of Sri Lankan Army officers trained at IMA to 296. The presence of foreign cadets underlined IMA’s growing role as a global military training hub.

During his visit, Lieutenant General Rodrigo held detailed discussions with senior Indian Army leadership, including Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani and Lt Gen Manjinder Singh, GOC-in-C, South Western Command. Talks centred around enhancing bilateral military cooperation, joint training programmes, and regional security strategies.

India and Sri Lanka’s premier military collaboration—Exercise Mitra Shakti—remains a key pillar of this defence partnership. The 10th edition of the bilateral exercise, held in Sri Lanka in August 2024, underscored their commitment to operational synergy in counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency domains.

At present, nearly 700 Sri Lankan Army personnel are undergoing training at top Indian military institutions, including the Defence Services Staff College, Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, and the IMA, making them the largest foreign contingent in Indian defence training programmes.

Lieutenant General Rodrigo’s visit reaffirmed the strategic and emotional connect between the two nations’ militaries—a relationship built on shared values, institutional respect, and a vision for regional peace and security.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Passing out Parade
Grand Passing Out Parade at OTA Chennai Sees 176 Cadets, Including Women and Foreign Trainees, Commissioned
PNB MoU Gov of Rajasthan
PNB Signs MoU with Rajasthan Government under ‘Rising Rajasthan’ Initiative to Finance Development Projects
AeroCon 2025 Raipur
Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai Inaugurates AeroCon 2025, Announces ₹65 Crore Hostel for Medical Students in Raipur
UPSC Image
UPSC ESE 2025 Mains Result Out: 1,376 Candidates Qualify for Personality Test – Check Roll Numbers & Guidelines
IPS Anjana Krishna
Will She Be Transferred? “Daring Lady IPS” Anjana Krishna Unlikely to Face Action After Viral Standoff with Ajit Pawar
Meghalaya Government
Meghalaya Signs MoU with Japan to Train and Place 5,000+ Youth in Healthcare, IT & Hospitality Sectors
MRPL Csr Award
MRPL Honoured for Outstanding WASH Initiatives at FKCCI CSR & Sustainability Awards 2025
Pushkar Singh Dhami
CM Dhami Hands Over Appointment Letters to 15 Teachers, Launches ₹15 Crore Tribal Welfare Projects in Uttarakhand
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IPS Shikha Goel
Decoding Digital Dangers: Insights from IPS Shikha Goel on Cyber Crimes
IPS Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo
Managing Elections, Communal Tensions, and Public Safety – Meet IPS Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo | Video Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-25 at 13.56
Operation Hunt: IPS Dr. Karanraj Vaghela’s Mission to Nab Valsad’s Most Wanted
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Ishwarlal Gurjar UPSC
10th Grade Failure to Indian Police Service: Ishwarlal Gurjar’s UPSC Success Path
Read the inspiring journey of Ishwarlal Gurjar from a small village in Rajasthan to becoming an IPS officer....
IAS Minnu P M
“Lazy, Sleepy, Yet Determined”: Minnu P M’s Honest Take on Cracking UPSC
Minnu PM, once a clerk in Kerala Police, cleared UPSC with AIR 150 after five years of struggle. Her...
IPS Ashish Tiwari
From IIT and Investment Banking to Public Service, Meet IPS Ashish Tiwari 
Ashish Tiwari, IIT graduate and former investment banker, chose public service over global finance. As...
Social Media
IAS Sakshi Sawhney Amritsar DC
Punjab Floods: IAS Sakshi Sawhney’s Emotional Appeal to Elderly Man Wins Hearts, Video of Humanity Goes Viral
Viral Video Captures Emotional Moment as Amritsar DC Shows Sensitivity and Courage Amid Relief Effor...
Masahiro Hara
From Go Board to Global Use, How QR Codes Changed the World: IRAS Officer Ananth Rupanagudi Spotlights Masahiro Hara’s Vision
IRAS officer Ananth Rupanagudi shared a video on Masahiro Hara, the inventor of QR codes, highlighting...
IFS Susanta Nanda Video
A Mother’s Duty: Tigress Watches Over Cubs Splashing in Waterhole — Heartwarming Video Shared By Retd. IFS Officer Susanta Nanda
A tender wildlife video shared by Retd. IFS officer Susanta Nanda shows a tigress keeping watch over...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Passing out Parade
Grand Passing Out Parade at OTA Chennai Sees 176 Cadets, Including Women and Foreign Trainees, Commissioned
PNB MoU Gov of Rajasthan
PNB Signs MoU with Rajasthan Government under ‘Rising Rajasthan’ Initiative to Finance Development Projects
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IPS Shikha Goel
IPS Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-25 at 13.56
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT