First Poppy Flower pinned on President

The first Poppy Flower was pinned President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday, to commemorate the military personnel who died in the First and Second World Wars as well as those servicemen who sacrificed their lives during the civil war in Sri Lanka.As the Chief Patron of Sri Lanka Armed Forces and Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Association, the President of the Association, Major General Ruwan Wanigasooriya, pinned the first Poppy Flower on the President.

Thereafter, poppies were also pinned on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Speaker of the Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana. Poppy flowers were also pinned on the Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake and Serjeant-at-Arms Narendra Fernando.Officials of the Sri Lanka Ex- Servicemen’s Association, Lt. Col. Ajith Siyambalapitiya, Major P.K.C. Shantilal Kankanamage, Captain T.M.H. Madugalla, A. Patmasiri and Chulani Sirimevan were also present at this occasion.