22nd Army Para Games 2019 powered by Dialog

Harsha Samaranayake, Senior General Manager - Brand and Media, Dialog Axiata PLC handing over the sponsorship cheque to Maj Gen Nirmal Dharmarathne WWV RWP RSP ndu psc - Chairman Army Para Sports Committee. Also in the image (from left) Brig Roland Bogodawatte - Vice Chairman Army Para Sports Committee and Brig Raja Gunasekara RSP - Secretary Army Para Sport Committee

The 22nd Army Para Games, powered by Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, is set to take place from 27th to 29th December at the Sugathadasa Stadium. This year a total of seven hundred differently-abled servicemen, from across eleven regiments, will battle it out for top honours in 12 disciplines; archery, badminton, cycling, shooting, table tennis, power lifting, wheelchair marathon, wheelchair tennis, swimming, beach volleyball, Para Rowing and athletics.

Dialog Axiata has been a long-standing partner of the Sri Lanka Army Para Games over the years as a part of its philosophy for inclusion and empowerment, and to give wing to differently-abled personnel to excel on the national and international stage.

Maj Gen Nirmal Dharmaratne, Deputy Chief of Staff and Chairman Army Para Games Committee stated that “This time Army Para Games covers 60 track and field events where elite Para athletes will compete in International standards. Para Sports have also become a process of rehabilitating soldiers with physical impairments while providing an opportunity for servicemen to display their exceptional sport skills.”

Over the years the games have evolved to include governing bodies such as the National Paralympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee, and are conducted and limited to three primary segments; those visually and physically impaired, and the wheel chair category.

The athletes are provided with the necessary equipment, coaches, and other requirements to assist the athletes in their journey forward under the guidance of Lieutenant-General L. H. S. C. Silva WWV RWP RSP VSV USP ndc psc - Commander of the Sri Lanka Army. Under the leadership and direction of Major General N. A. Dharmaratne WWV RWP RSP ndu psc - President, Army Para Games, arrangements have been made to hold the event in a grand scale. The inaugural ceremony of the Games will be held on December 27th, 2019 from 8.30 am and the closing ceremony will take place on 29th, December 2019 at 3.00 pm.

Dialog Axiata is the proud sponsor of the Sri Lankan National Cricket, Rugby, Volleyball and Netball teams. The Company also has a close association with the President’s Gold Cup volleyball, National Junior and Senior Netball tourneys, Premier Football, Schools’ Cricket, and Paralympic sports - by powering the Army Para Games, National Para Games and the Sri Lankan contingent to the Olympic and World Paralympic Games.