Words Epitomizing Leadership: Voice of Major General Milinda Peiris as theVice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka Edited by Kithsiri Amaratunga Words Epitomizing Leadership: Voice of Major General Milinda Peiris as Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka Edited By Kithsiri Amaratunga i ISBN @ General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Publication 2016 February All rights reserved This book contains the text of a selection of speeches delivered by Major General MP Peiris RWP RSP USP ndc psc during his tenure as the Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), Sri Lanka. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. Editor Kithsiri Amaratunga Published by General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Ratmalana 10390, Sri Lanka Tel: +940112622995 e-mail: [email protected] Website: www.kdu.ac.lk ii Contents Page 1. Address at KDU Symposium 2011 08 2. Vote of Thanks at the Opening Ceremony of the Pilot Biogas 12 Project. 3. Welcoming the First Day-Scholar Batch to Intake 29 14 4. Welcoming New Academic Staff 17 5. Address at the Launch of Mobitel M-learning Platform 19 6. Address at Official Launch of Advanced Diploma Course in 21 Human Rights at University of Colombo 7. Address at Inauguration of Staff Development Centre at KDU 25 8. Address at Intake 28 Parents‟ Day 28 9. Address at Inauguration of MBA in Logistics Management 31 Degree Programme 10. Welcoming MBBS Students to Intake 30 34 11. Address at IDM Convocation 2012 37 12. Address at KDU International Symposium 2012 40 13. Welcome Address at Commemoration of 32nd Death Anniversary 43 of General Sir John Kotelawala. 14. Welcoming Day-Scholars for Intake 30 46 15. Welcome Address at 116th Birth Anniversary of General 51 Sir John Kotelawala 16. Welcome Address at Commencement of National Interest 55 Module of MPhil/PhD Programme 17. Address at KDU Alumni Dinner 2013 58 18. Address at KDU International Research Symposium 2013 63 19. Welcome Address at Commemoration of 33rd Death Anniversary 66 of General Sir John Kotelawala 20. Welcome Address at Inauguration of the 2nd Staff 70 Development Programme 21. Welcome Address at Opening of Workshop on “Transforming Education for the Digital Age” 72 22. Address at KDU International Research Conference 2014 75 23. Welcoming Officer Cadets of Intake 32 80 iii 24. Welcome Address at Commemoration of 34th Death Anniversary of 82 General Sir John Kotelawala 25. Address at the Colours Nite 2014 as the Chief Guest 86 26. Welcoming Officer Cadets and Day Scholars of Intake 32 89 27. Address at the Certificate Awarding Ceremony of the English Language Course for SLAC Officers Conducted by London Stanford‟s 94 College 28. Address at the Soft Opening of the Southern Campus of KDU 89 29. Welcome Address at the Inauguration of the Third CTHE 101 Course of KDU 30. Address at the Opening of the National Indoor Rowing 103 Championship - 2015 31. Welcome Address at the Closing Ceremony of the National Indoor 105 Rowing Championship -2015 32. Keynote Address at Counselling Workshop 107 33. Welcome Address at 118th Birth Anniversary of Sir John Kotelawala 110 34. පිᗒගැ엓මේ මේ඾නය- ප඾්චාත් අධ්‍යයන ීඨ මග නනැිල්ල඼ ිවලත ිරීම 114 35. උපකු඼පතිතුමාමේ වමුගැ엓මේ මේ඾නය 121 iv Editor’s Comment This book contains a representative cross section of speeches delivered by Major General Milinda Peiris at various occasions during his tenure as the Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) in Sri Lanka from 2008 to 2016, and the book is unique as it is the first ever collection of speeches delivered by a senior military officer in Sri Lanka, and perhaps by a Vice Chancellor in Sri Lanka as well. The idea of going for a publication of this sort serves several purposes. First, it will reflect on the personality and leadership of the man who has been instrumental in elevating General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University from being a military university with a limited scope to become a well-known and well-established state university in Sri Lanka that caters to a larger student population including a considerable segment of foreign students as well. In this sense, it is a fitting tribute to the yeoman service rendered by this indefatigable leader who brought about a massive development to KDU in a relatively short span of about eight years, which records a massive infrastructure development complemented by the qualitative and quantitative growth of human resources along with the unprecedented expansion of higher educational opportunities offered by KDU in various disciplines. The speeches recorded herein speak of his vision and philosophy and how he exerts a positive influence on those involved in KDU affairs – academic, military, administrative and other staff, students, parents, alumni, professionals, political authorities, foreign scholars and so on in order to materialize the goals in his mind. The speeches herein could also be a unique source material for future generations interested in the evolutionary process of a university of a different character and generally in the evolution of higher education in Sri Lanka during a crucial phase of our history that marked the transition from a dark era of torment and suffering to a time of hope, expectation and promise, i.e. the end of separatist war waged by the LTTE in 2009 and the subsequent peace. The contents of the book will have a historical significance though characteristically different from a historical account recorded from the point of view of a historian; one could consider it as a collection of „verbal pictures „that vividly depict the events of a particular era. The significance of the contents may change with the course of time, and our inquisitive future generations will find them useful in a different way when taking stock of what happened in the v country during this crucial period of our history. In this sense, the book fulfils a responsibility towards our future generations. Thirdly, the speeches are partly characteristic of the genre of military speeches, and thus they provide rare materials for those interested in discourse analysis. Meticulous preparation, elaborate greeting to everyone in the audience in keeping with protocol requirements, variation of the tone to suit the audience are some of the characteristic features among others. In this context, these speeches can also be useful for students, particularly those in the military, as models to develop their public speaking skills. This publication could not have been possible if I did not receive the kind permission of Major General Milinda Peiris to publish his speeches. In fact, it was a gesture of goodwill for my contribution in drafting some of the speeches on his advice and instructions, which was indeed an extremely tough and challenging task. – Very often I was compelled to endlessly edit draft after draft until he was fully satisfied that the words did express what he wanted to convey to a particular audience. Finally, I wish that this book would be a true tribute to Major General Peiris whose name will be written in the annals of KDU history as the Vice Chancellor who decisively changed the course of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University. Kithsiri Amaratunga Senior Lecturer Head, Department of Languages General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Ratmalana vi Foreword It is indeed with great pleasure that I pen this foreword for the book, Words Epitomizing Leadership, which is a collection of a cross section of speeches delivered by Major General Milinda Peiris as the Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka. The foreword is a glimpse on the contents therein. Any leader is ultimately judged by his vision, wisdom and the strength of the foundation laid by him for development and prosperity. Having read the speeches contained herein and heedfully listened to some of them, I humbly express my view that he has been an extraordinary general with a clear vision, dedication, determination and courage, who could make an impact on his audience to align with the underlying vision and philosophy of his speeches. Major General Milinda Peiris‟ ambition and astute leadership and highly effective governance have taken General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) to a level of local, regional and international recognition beyond imagination in both military and academic affairs. Most of his speeches vividly reveal his inner strength of integrity mingled with an intense patriotism. The country will remember him forever with gratitude as a Vice Chancellor who transformed General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University into a world renowned, academically perfect military institution with an advanced research affiliation. Indeed, Major General Milinda Peiris is a friend in need and a true son of our motherland. Prof MHJ Ariyaratne MBBS.MS.FRCS (Eng) FRCS (Ed.) FCS (SL) Senior Fellow, PGIM Dean, Faculty of Medicine Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Ratmalana vii 1. Address at KDU Symposium 2011 on 18.08.2011 Ven Clergy, Hon Minister of External Affairs Prof GL Peiris, Hon Minister of International Monetary Cooperation Dr Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Power and Energy