Winner of Ranaviru Real Star powered by Dialog receives house from President

President Maithripala Sirisena ceremoniously opens the new home that Dialog Ranaviru Real Star Gunner Sampath Sri Palansuriya and wife received, whilst State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene and Dialog Axiata Group Chief Executive Supun Weerasinghe looks on

The awarding of a new home to the winner of the Ranaviru Real Star Mission-V powered by Dialog, an aesthetic mission directed by the Ministry of Defence for the war heroes of the Tri-forces, was held under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena in the presence of Minister of Ports and Shipping Mahinda Samarasinghe, State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene, and Deputy Minister of Sustainability and Wildlife and Regional Development Palitha Thewarapperuma at the Prabuddhagama Ranaviru Village, Madurawala, Horana, on 13 August.

Ministry of Defence Secretary Kapila Waidyaratne PC, State Ministry of Defence Secretary Sunil Samaraweera, Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne, Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, Navy Commander Vice Admiral S. S. Ranasinghe, Air Force Commander Air Marshal Kapila Jayampathi, Ministry of Defence Additional Secretary (Administration) W. A. Kolasuriya, Madurawala Divisional Secretary Dissna Jayasinghe, Ministry of Defence Military Welfare Assistant Director H.P.D. Hewage, Dialog Axiata Group Chief Executive Supun Weerasinghe, and Dialog Axiata Group Chief Marketing Officer Amali Nanayakkara also graced the occasion as special invitees.

Ranaviru Real Star Mission-V is the fifth consecutive show organised by the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with Dialog Axiata PLC. The talent show provides a platform for members of the Tri-forces to showcase their musical talents and win the grand prize of a Rs. 20 million house, with funding supported by Dialog and labour extended by the Sri Lanka Army. Ranaviru Real Star Gunner Sampath Sri Palansuriya of the Sri Lanka Army clinched the first place of the Ranaviru Real Star Mission-V in September 2016, claiming his ownership of the coveted title and prize. The 34 finalists selected from over 4,000 contestants also received homes funded by the Government.

State Minister Ruwan Wijewardene said: “The Dialog Ranaviru Real Star provides a platform for our war heroes to showcase their talents – apart from the great service extended to the country. I would like to thank all the participants of the talent show and congratulate the Dialog Ranaviru Real Star Gunner Sampath Sri Palansuriya of the Sri Lanka Army, who is now the owner of a new home.” 

“Dialog has partnered the initiative with the Ministry of Defence since its inception in 2012 with Mission-I. We like to thank the Ministry of Defence and the Tri-forces for facilitating this great initiative for over five years,” Dialog Axiata Group Chief Executive Supun Weerasinghe said. 

President Maithripala Sirisena presenting the Dialog Ranaviru Real Star Gunner Sampath Sri Palansuriya with a letter of ownership to the house, whilst (from left) State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene, State Ministry of Defence Secretary Sunil Samaraweera, Dialog Axiata Group Chief Executive Supun Weerasinghe, and Dialog Axiata Group Chief Marketing Officer Amali Nanayakkara look on