True leadership tested in conflict, says SL's Army chief at IMA parade

Sri Lanka Army Commander Lieutenant General BKGM Lasantha Rodrigo on Saturday reviewed the passing out parade of the IMA's spring term and said true leadership is tested not in peace but in the chaos of conflict.

Addressing 451 gentlemen cadets who were commissioned into the armies of their respective countries, Lt Gen Rodrigo who is himself an alumnus of the institution said being commissioned is only the beginning.

"The hard part begins when you leave the institution. Staying an officer is harder than becoming one, as military leadership is not about shouting orders, it is about earning the quiet respect of the men you lead," he said.

"True leadership is tested not in peace but in the chaos of conflict as I myself did during Sri Lanka's long and difficult fight with internal conflict," Rodrigo said.

He asked them to lead their men from the front and put their safety above their own, be their strength in fear, their beacon in doubt and their hope in despair care.

"Never forget the men you lead. They will follow you into fire but only when they know you will be in the front," he added.

Rodrigo who passed out of the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in 1990 said the values and the spirit of military service learned at the academy had made him the soldier and the leader that he is today.

He said it was a proud privilege for him to attend the event as he could see his younger self in the passing out gentlemen cadets.

"The country's safety, welfare and honour comes first, then that of the men you command. Your own safety comes at the end," he said, adding it was the timeless code he had learnt at the academy.

The Sri Lankan Army chief said the uniform is the symbol of a nation's trust. It keeps reminding a soldier that he represents something which is greater than himself.

He asked the gentlemen cadets commissioned into the armies of their countries today to answer when the nation calls not with hesitation but with conviction.

He told the gentlemen cadets from friendly foreign countries to return to their nations not just as officers but as ambassadors of the IMA's legacy. "Write your own chapter in the glorious history of the IMA," he said.

Rodrigo also advised them to keep learning, training and evolving constantly. He concluded his address with the quotes of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw,"Be truthful, be honest, be fearless and the rest will follow."  A total of 451 officer cadets, including 32 from friendly countries, participated in the spring term passing out parade. The coveted sword of honour for overall performance as well as the silver medal was won by Academy Cadet Adjutant Anni Nehra while the gold went to Academy Under Officer Rohnit Ranjan and the Bronze was received by Battalion Under Officer Anurag Verma.