The skies have been the ultimate frontier to confront us. Two young women of the Police Special Task Force have risen to the challenge: and conquered the aerial domain. Sub Inspector R.A.D. Kanchana (23) and Constable Nirmala Kumudini Senanayake (27) thus become the first women in the history of the Sri Lanka Police to qualify with airborne (parachute) capability. The two ladies trained alongside 38 men from the tri-forces and earned the coveted ‘wing’ badge.
SI Kanchana is a past pupil of Munidasa Kumaratunga Vidyalaya, Kaduwela and joined the STF in 2015, while Constable Nirmala who studied at Gonigoda Madhya Maha Vidyalaya, Kurunegala, enlisted in 2010.
Nirmala is an accomplished marathon athlete having secured many medals at national level. She also has a degree from the Kelaniya University. Both women had to face a tough selection physical test and entered the SLAF training school at Ampara, where, for one and a half months they trained with earnest. The parachute training process is delivered in 3 stages: ground training, tower training (from 34 feet) and finally, the live jumps. The live jumps are done from an SLAF MI-17 helicopter from a ceiling of 1,000 feet. It would roughly take 46 seconds to a minute for a recruit to land at the “drop zone” once they exit the aircraft. Both, Kanchana and Nirmala boldly faced their fear wearing the 24 Kg parachute and mastered their techniques and completed the 5 jumps, including a night-time jump.
It is their ambition to qualify as free fall jumpers in the future (from an air ceiling of 3,500 feet). They were encouraged to enter this course by SP Athula Daulagala, Director Training under the guidance of S/DIG M.R.Latiff, the present commandant. These young women have created history in the Police Service and their dynamic example is a glowing beacon to others.
IP Yehan Pandiwita, an expert marksman also graduated this parachute course along with his female colleagues. The STF through this training venture has proven that women, can excel if given the conducive atmosphere and opportunity.