For the first time in the history of the Sri Lanka Navy, the first group of women parachutists, consisting of two lady officers and three women sailors, successfully completed their basic parachute course at the Sri Lanka Air Force Parachute Training School, Ampara, on June 21, 2023.
Going by an idea mooted by the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, this particular group of women grabbed the opportunity to follow the first ever basic parachute course, marking a historic milestone for gender equality and women’s prowess in the Sri Lanka Navy.
In view of representing the Defence Services Free Fall Parachute (Skydiving) Tournament with a Sri Lanka Navy team of women parachutists, a group of lady officers and women sailors were attached to the Sri Lanka Air Force Parachute Training School for their basic parachute course.
Having qualified for a special mental and physical fitness test in this regard, the lady officers, Lieutenant Iresha Madushani and Lieutenant Prasadi Nadeeshani, and the women sailors, Woman Able Physical Training Instructor Ayesha Wijayarathna, Woman Ordinary Seaman Maheesha Ranasinghe, and Woman Ordinary Seaman Kaushi Thisera, successfully completed the basic parachute course. The course was held from April 24 to June 21, 2023, at the Sri Lanka Air Force Parachute Training School, Ampara.