Sunday Times 2
Veteran Brigadier Vipul Boteju (Retd.); Last post for an officer and gentleman
View(s):The funeral of frontline war veteran Brigadier Vipul Boteju (Retd) was held on Thursday (Nov 27) with full military honours at the General Cemetery, Colombo.
Brig Boteju was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Sri Lanka Army in 1970 and posted to the Gemunu Watch.
By 1989 he was promoted to the senior rank of Brigadier as Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion of his regiment, from which rank he retired.
He took an active part in the Vadamarachchi operation in 1987 as a Lt Colonel and was awarded many decorations for his gallantry.
These included the Rana Wickrama Padakkama, Rana Sura Padakkama, Purnabhumi Padakkama, the Sri Lanka Army and Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medals and the President’s Inauguration Medal.