State banking giant People’s Bank held its ‘Kusalatha Pranama’ scholarship awards ceremony recently marking its commitment to corporate social responsibility in building a knowledgeable and talented student body who will drive the nation forward. Having begun in 1993 as a way of nurturing the future generations, the ceremony was held for the 15th time.
Fifty students who excelled at the G. C. E. Ordinary Level examination in 2007 were chosen as the recipients of these scholarships. They were chosen for the scholarships according to the district and national level results certified by the Department of Examinations. They are also students who have succeeded at the first sitting of the examination. Under the scheme, People’s Bank is to provide funds for up to two years to these students for their higher education needs.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. W. Karunajeewa, Chairman of People’s Bank expressed his delight at attending a ceremony of this nature, where the ultimate goal is to guide students towards a better and brighter tomorrow. He went on to say that each parent, who is dedicated towards the future of their children, can consider this to be a future investment towards the development of Sri Lanka. Indeed the founders of People’s Bank aimed to create a bank for the common man and woman that also symbolized the Sri Lankan identity. He emphasized that People’s Bank will always act with the interests of the people as its priority.
Addressing the scholarship winners, Mr. M. Wickramasinghe, Chief Executive Officer/General Manager of People’s Bank said that People’s Bank is a state bank that is focused on socio-economic and cultural development. He added that the aim of this scholarship awards ceremony is to encourage the growth of an educated future generation. He reflected that many students who had previously won these scholarships have gone on to hold key positions, which was a sign of success.
As the Guest Speaker of the event, Visharada Nanda Malini emphasized the importance of education, and about building the future with reference to the past.
Miss Amali Upeksha Jayasinghe from Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo, who was placed first at the 2007 G. C. E. Ordinary Level examination, did the vote of thanks, and thanked People’s Bank for appreciating the hard work and successes of both her and all the students present.The ceremony was attended by the corporate management of People’s Bank, the parents and school principals of the students. The ceremony took on a lively atmosphere with entertainment programs presented by school children and several well-known singers.
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