Asoka Jayawardena

Major General Deshamanya Asoka Kanthilal Jayawardena, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, was a Sri Lankan army general and politician. He was the former Provincial Governor of the Governor of North Eastern Province and Secretary to the Minister of Defence.

Major General Deshamanya
Asoka Jayawardena
RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
4th Governor of North Eastern Province
In office
13 November 1998 – 30 November 2004
Preceded byGamini Fonseka
Succeeded byTyronne Fernando
Personal details
NationalitySri Lankan
SpouseSrimathi (m. 1975; d. 2002)
ChildrenTwo children
Alma materS. Thomas' College, Colombo
Military service
AllegianceSri Lanka
Branch/serviceSri Lanka Army
Years of service19?? - 1998
RankMajor general
UnitSri Lanka Light Infantry
CommandsSecurity Forces Headquarters - Jaffna
Overall Operational Commander
Battles/warsSri Lankan Civil War

Military career

Jayawardena was Overall Operational Commander (OOC) of the Sri Lanka Army. In 1997 he was succeeded by Lt. Gen. Srilal Weerasooriya.[1] Jayawardena also served as Security Forces Commander in Jaffna.

Political career

Retiring from the Sri Lanka Army in 1998, Jayawardena was appointed as Governor of North Eastern Province. His predecessor Gamini Fonseka resigned from the office due to a difference of opinion with the President at the time. He is known to be a close confidant of the President Chandrika Kumaratunga, and he is believed to be one of her principal military advisors.

Jayawardena was the first governor of the province to visit the Jaffna peninsula after the establishment of the North Eastern Provincial Council.[2]

Awards

His awards and decorations include the Medals; Rana Wickrama Padakkama (RWP), Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP), Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya (VSV) and Uttama Seva Padakkama (USP).[3]

In 2005 he was awarded the National title, Deshamanya.

Sri Lankan awards

In Order of Precedence

References
  1. "New SLA commander assumes duties". TamilNet. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  2. "Asoka tipped to be new Defence Secretary". The Island. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  3. "History of Governors". Governors of the Northern Provincial Council. Northern Provincial Council. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
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