Commander of the Army (Sri Lanka)

The Commander of the Army (Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ යුද්ධ හමුදාපති, romanized: śrī laṁkāvē yuddha hamudāpati) is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lt. General Vikum Liyanage.[1]

Commander of the Sri Lanka Army
ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ යුද්ධ හමුදාපති
Incumbent
Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage
since 1 June 2022
 Sri Lanka Army
Member ofNational Security Council
Reports toChief of Defence Staff
ResidenceGeneral's House, Colombo
SeatArmy Headquarters
AppointerThe President
Term lengthNot fixed
PrecursorGeneral Officer Commanding, Ceylon
Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force
Formation20 October 1949 (1949-10-20)
as Commander of the Ceylon Army
First holderBrigadier Roderick Sinclair (as Commander, Ceylon Army)
DeputyChief of Staff of the Army
WebsiteOfficial website
Sri Lanka Army
Components
History
Equipment
Leadership and ranks

The post traces its roots to the post of General Officer Commanding, Ceylon, which was the title of the General Officer Commanding of the British Army units in Ceylon prior to independence in 1948. After the formation of the Ceylon Army in 1949, its first commander was of the rank of Brigadier, hence the title Commander of the Ceylon Army was formally adopted although it was at times referred as General Officer Commanding, Ceylon as far as the 1960s.

Serving army commanders have by convention been of the rank of Lieutenant General, promoted to the honorary rank of General on retirement or after getting the appointment of Chief of Defence Staff, with the exception of Sarath Fonseka who was elevated to the rank of General while serving as Commander. Another notable figure was Denis Perera, who was promoted to full general in 2007 after 26 years of retirement.[2]

The official residence of the commander is General's House, Colombo.

List of Commanders
No. Picture CommanderTook officeLeft officeTime in officeUnit of commission
1
The Earl of Caithness CBE, DSO
Sinclair, RoderickBrigadier
The Earl of Caithness CBE, DSO
(1906–1965)		20 October 194917 May 19522 years, 210 daysGordon Highlanders
2
Sir Francis Reid CBE
Reid, FrancisBrigadier
Sir Francis Reid CBE
(1900–1970)		18 May 19528 February 19552 years, 266 daysRoyal Artillery
3
Anton Muttukumaru OBE, ED
Muttukumaru, AntonMajor General
Anton Muttukumaru OBE, ED
(1908–2001)		9 February 195531 December 19594 years, 326 daysCeylon Light Infantry
4
H. W. G. Wijeyekoon OBE, ED
Wijeyekoon, H.Major General
H. W. G. Wijeyekoon OBE, ED
(1911–1969)		1 January 196031 December 19633 years, 364 daysCeylon Light Infantry
5
Deshamanya Richard Udugama MBE
Udugama, RichardMajor General
Deshamanya Richard Udugama MBE
(1911–1995)		1 January 196410 November 19662 years, 313 daysCeylon Light Infantry
6
Deshabandu Bertram Heyn
Heyn, BertramMajor General
Deshabandu Bertram Heyn
(1912–1998)		11 November 196630 September 1967323 daysCeylon Light Infantry
7
Deshamanya Sepala Attygalle LVO
Attygalle, SepalaLieutenant General
Deshamanya Sepala Attygalle LVO
(1922–2001)		1 October 196713 October 197710 years, 12 daysSri Lanka Armoured Corps
8
Deshamanya Denis Perera VSV
Perera, DenisLieutenant General
Deshamanya Denis Perera VSV
(1930–2013)		14 October 197713 October 19813 years, 364 daysSri Lanka Engineers
9
Tissa Weeratunga VSV
Weeratunga, TissaLieutenant General
Tissa Weeratunga VSV
(1930–2003)		14 October 198111 February 19853 years, 120 daysGemunu Watch
10
Nalin Seneviratne VSV
Seneviratne, NalinLieutenant General
Nalin Seneviratne VSV
(1931–2009)		12 February 198515 August 19883 years, 185 daysSri Lanka Engineers
11
Hamilton Wanasinghe VSV
Wanasinghe, HamiltonLieutenant General
Hamilton Wanasinghe VSV
(born 1935)		16 August 198815 November 19913 years, 91 daysSri Lanka Artillery
12
Cecil Waidyaratne VSV
Waidyaratne, CecilLieutenant General
Cecil Waidyaratne VSV
(1938–2001)		16 November 199131 December 19932 years, 45 daysSri Lanka Armoured Corps
13
G. H. De Silva RWP, VSV, USP
Silva, G.Lieutenant General
G. H. De Silva RWP, VSV, USP
(born 1940)		1 January 199430 April 19962 years, 120 daysGemunu Watch
14
Rohan Daluwatte RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
Daluwatte, RohanGeneral
Rohan Daluwatte RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
(1941–2018)		1 May 199615 December 19982 years, 228 daysSri Lanka Armoured Corps
15
Srilal Weerasooriya RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
Weerasooriya, C.General
Srilal Weerasooriya RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
(born 1943)		16 December 199824 August 20001 year, 252 daysSri Lanka Artillery
16
Lionel Balagalle RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, VSP
Balagalle, LionelGeneral
Lionel Balagalle RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, VSP
(1947–2023)		25 August 200030 June 20043 years, 310 daysSri Lanka Artillery
17
Shantha Kottegoda WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, VSP
Kottegoda, ShanthaGeneral
Shantha Kottegoda WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, VSP
(born 1949)		1 July 20045 December 20051 year, 157 daysSri Lanka Light Infantry
18
Sarath Fonseka RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
Fonseka, SarathField Marshal
Sarath Fonseka RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
(born 1950)		6 December 200515 July 20093 years, 221 daysSri Lanka Sinha Regiment
19
Jagath Jayasuriya VSV, USP
Jayasuriya, JagathGeneral
Jagath Jayasuriya VSV, USP		15 July 20091 August 20134 years, 17 daysSri Lanka Armoured Corps
20
Daya Ratnayake WWV, RWP, RSP, USP
Ratnayake, DayaGeneral
Daya Ratnayake WWV, RWP, RSP, USP
(born 1958)		1 August 201321 February 20151 year, 204 daysSri Lanka Light Infantry
21
Crishantha de Silva RWP, USP
Silva, CrishanthaGeneral
Crishantha de Silva RWP, USP		22 February 20154 July 20172 years, 132 daysSri Lanka Engineers
22
Mahesh Senanayake RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
Senanayake, MaheshGeneral
Mahesh Senanayake RWP, RSP, VSV, USP		4 July 201719 August 20192 years, 46 daysSri Lanka Engineers
23
Shavendra Silva WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
Silva, ShavendraGeneral
Shavendra Silva WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP
(born 1964)		19 August 201931 May 20222 years, 285 daysGajaba Regiment
24
Vikum Liyanage RWP, RSP, USP
Liyanage, VikumLieutenant General
Vikum Liyanage RWP, RSP, USP		1 July 2022Incumbent1 year, 147 daysGajaba Regiment

References
  1. "Sri Lanka : Major General Vikum Liyanage appointed as the new Sri Lanka Army Commander". www.colombopage.com. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
  2. "Former service chiefs promoted". sundaytimes.lk. 11 November 2007.
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