[By Janaka Alahapperuma]
Newly appointed Commander of the Sri Lanka Army Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa this afternoon at Temple Trees.
Lieutenant General Ratnayake assumed duties from today (01 August) onwards at a ceremony held at Army Headquarters this morning. A cordial discussion was held between President Rajapaksa and Lieutenant General Ratnayake on mutual interests. new Commander of the Army also presented a memento, a specially made ceremonial sword to the President to mark the occasion. New Army Commander also called on Secretary of Defence and Urban Development Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Ministry of Defence just after assuming duties as the 20th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army. The newly appointed Commander of the Army Lt General R. M. D Ratnayake WWV RWP RSP USP ndu psc was the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army since 2010 until he took office as 20th Commander of the Army. He was enlisted to the Regular Force of the Sri Lanka Army on 06 February 1980 as an Officer Cadet and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 18 July 1981 in the Sri Lanka Light Infantry (SLLI) Regiment. Upon commissioning he has followed a number of local and foreign courses including the Commando Officers Course, Infantry Young Officers Course, Battalion Support Weapon Course, Junior Command and Senior Command Courses in India, Governance and Management of Defence Course at Cranfield University, UK and Higher Level Security Studies Diploma Course and Advanced Communication Skills Course in Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. He is also a graduate of the Defence Service Command and Staff College, Bangladesh, National Defence University, China and Army Intelligence School, Fort Hnachuca, Arizona, USA.
With wide experience and service, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake has held many command appointments to suit his rank and was privileged to command an Infantry Battalion and three Infantry Brigades, prior to being appointed as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 23 Infantry Division which pioneered the humanitarian operations in the East. As the General Officer Commanding of 23 Division he played a vital role in eliminating terrorism in the Eastern Province. Upon conclusion of humanitarian operations with the dawn of peace he was appointed as the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation and called upon to rehabilitate 12,000 ex-combatants. With transformation of the Army from warfare to peacetime roles, he using his capacity of judgement, and sense of humaneness rendered an indelible service for the field of rehabilitation, in his capacity as the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation.
In addition, he has also held a variety of key staff, instructor and administrative appointments, including Commanding Officer of the Sri Lanka Military Academy, Director Media of the Sri Lanka Army and Military Spokesman for the Ministry of Defence from 2004 to September 2005. At present he is a council member of the Sri Lanka Rugby Union. Throughout the span of his career of more than 33 years, he has taken part in many seminars, conferences, workshops and invited assignments. Lt General Ratnayake outshines as one of the few Officers of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces to have completed so many local and overseas graduate study courses and diplomas. Currently, he is reading for a PhD at Kotelawala Defence University.
His exceptionally unique performances in many daunting operations in defence of the country have been well-recognized as a battlefield veteran and decorated with more than twenty gallantry and service medals, inclusive of the Weera Wickrema Vibushanaya (WWV), Rana Wickrama Padakkama (RWP) (Awarded four times for Exceptional Gallantry), Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP) (Awarded four times for Gallantry), Uththama Seva Padakkama (USP) (For distinguished conduct) andDesha Puthra Padakkama (DPP) (For wounded in combat). To this date, Lieutenant General Rathnayake as an illustrious officer par excellence in the Armed Forces of Sri Lanka remains the one and only Officer who had been awarded Gallantry medals for the most number of times.
Lt Gen. Ratnayake is a distinguished past product of Maliyadewa College, Kurunegala and was an outstanding athlete during his school days. It is a proud accusation for Kurunegala District and the Wayamba Province where the area is home to most number of military personals and their families. Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake is married to Priyadarshani Damayanthi and blessed with two sons and a daughter. Meanwhile General Jagath Jayasuriya, the outgoing Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, General Jagath Jayasuriya ceremonially handed over his duties to his successor, Lt Gen Daya Ratnayake at a function held at the Army Headquarters yesterday on 31st July. The outgoing commander received a customary guard of honour at a farewell ceremony organized in his honour.
Pix by: Sudath Silva
Source: Sri Lanka Army
