Travel legend Ebert Silva posthumously recognised at Peterite honours night
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Rajini de Silva Mendis, daughter of Ebert Silva, receives the Peterite Honour posthumously on behalf of her father from the Chief Guest, a distinguished old boy, Prof. Rohan Jayasekera, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Chair and Senior Professor of Anatomy. Romeish de Alwis, President of St. Peters Old Boys Union is also in the picture.
Ebert Silva, a legend and a pioneer in Sri Lanka’s travel and tourism industry, was felicitated and honoured posthumously for his outstanding contribution in ‘Entrepreneurship’ at the 6th Peterite Honours Night held recently. Organised by the Old Boys’ Union of St. Peters’ College, the Peterite Honours Night is an event held to honour distinguished Old Boys of St. Peters College that have reached distinction and eminence in their respective fields bringing credit to their Alma Mater, according to the media release issued by the Ebert Silva company.
“As a 21 year-old, in 1953, Ebert Silva was compelled to take over the reins of the Ebert Silva Omni Bus Company, a pioneer transport company of the bus company era, following his father’s untimely death. A year later, as a young entrepreneur and visionary foreseeing the promise and potential of a new market, tourism, he incorporated Ebert Silva Touring Company Ltd. Undeterred by the daunting and excruciating experience of Nationalisation in 1956, his resilience, determination and entrepreneurial spirit made the Ebert Silva Company the sole survivor of the bus company giants, post nationalisation. The companies under his able leadership having withstood the test of time, ascended to inscribe a unique success story. Ebert Silva, who passed away at the age of 79, on the 28th of March 2012, gave life to a significant chapter in Sri Lanka’s travel, tourism and motoring industry despite many hardships and formidable challenges including limited resources,” the company statement said.