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Jagath Gunawardena ජගත් ගුණවර්ධන | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1965-12-15)15 December 1965 (age 59) |
| Branch | Sri Lanka Army |
| Years of service | 1985–2020 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Unit | Sri Lanka Engineers |
| Commands | Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force, Security Forces Headquarters – Wanni, 57 Division |
| Battles / wars | Sri Lankan Civil War |
| Awards | Rana Sura Padakkama, Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya, Uttama Seva Padakkama |
Major GeneralJagath Gunawardena,RSP,VSV,USP was aSri Lankan senior army officer. He was theChief of Staff of the Sri Lankan Army, having served as theCommandant of the Volunteer Force,Commander, Security Forces Headquarters – Wanni andMaster General of Ordnance. He served as theColonel Commandant of theSri Lanka Engineers.
Born inColombo on 15 December 1965, Gunawardena was educated atD. S. Senanayake College. He has gained aBachelor of Science (Honours) degree inWar Studies from theUniversity of Baluchistan, a Masters in Defence Studies from theUniversity of Kelaniya, a Post Graduate Diploma with Merit in Conflict Resolution and Peace Preparedness, aMaster of Arts with Merit in Conflict Resolution from theUniversity of Bradford, a Master in National Security Administration from theUniversity of Philippines[which?], a Diploma in Senior Level Defence Management fromUniversity of Indore and Diploma in Human Rights from Institute of Human Rights, Colombo.[1] His father was acolonel in theSri Lanka Army
Gunawardena joined the Regular Force of Sri Lanka Army on 18 January 1985. Following his basic officer training at theSri Lanka Military Academy inDiyatalawa, he was commissioned as asecond lieutenant in the 1 Field Engineer Regiment, Sri Lanka Engineers and attended the Young Officers Course at theCollege of Military Engineering, Pune. He served as afield engineering officer in several operations as theSri Lankan Civil War escalated and was wounded in 1991 duringOperation Balavegaya. Having completed the Mid Career Course and Bomb Disposal Course at theMilitary College of Engineering, Risalpur he served as theofficer commanding of theExplosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit of the Sri Lanka Engineers.[2]
Gunawardena attended theArmy Command and Staff College in its second intake and won the ‘Commandant's Golden Pen’ award for best research paper in 1999 and later attended theCommand and Staff College, Quetta. He served asGSO III (Operations) in a Divisional HQ andGSO II at the Colombo Military Hospital. Gunawardena had served as an officer instructor, adjutant and staff officer at theSri Lanka Military Academy and Directing Staff at theDefence Services Command and Staff College he had served as the head of the training team, army wing.[2]
Having been promoted to the rank oflieutenant colonel, he served as thecommanding officer of the 8 Field Engineer Regiment and 6 Field Engineer Regiment in 2003. During this time he was the head of the mine action technical committee in Vavuniya. Later he served as theGSO I (Operations) in the Reserve Strike Force (53 Division), GSO I (Training) atArmy Headquarters, and Colonel General Staff of the56 Division. He attended the Senior Command Course atArmy War College, Mhow and graduated from theNational Defense College of the Philippines.[2]
He was thebrigade commander, 524 Infantry Brigade and centre commandant, Sri Lanka Engineers. Serving as brigade commander, Engineer Brigade; he established the firstCBRN squadron of the army, which later became the 14 CBRN Regiment, Sri Lanka Engineers and took part in the Sri Lanka Army Rescue Operations Contingent sent to aid in theApril 2015 Nepal earthquake. He had served as thegeneral officer commanding,57 Division; principal staff officer to the Commander of the Army; Deputy Military Liaison Officer, Ministry of Defence; Director Plans,Army Headquarters and wasMaster General of Ordnance in February 2018. Thereafter he was appointedCommander, Security Forces Headquarters – Wanni, serving until his appointment asCommandant of the Volunteer Force. He was appointedColonel Commandant of the Sri Lanka Engineers on 25 July 2019. He was appointedChief of Staff of the Sri Lankan Army on 2 May 2020.[2]
Gunawardena has been awarded theRana Sura Padakkama for gallantry, theVishista Seva Vibhushanaya andUttama Seva Padakkama for distinguished service.[2]