Saturday Aug 01, 2026
Saturday Aug 01, 2026
Saturday, 1 August 2026 01:37 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
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Army Major General |
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army Major General Nilantha Premaratne as the 26th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, with the promotion to Lieutenant General with effect from today.
The letter of appointment was presented to Lieutenant General Premaratne by Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday.
The appointment follows the retirement of incumbent Army Commander General Lasantha Rodrigo. Lieutenant General Premaratne joined the Sri Lanka Army as an Officer Cadet in 1990 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1992 after completing basic military training at the Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa.
He was subsequently posted to the Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment and has completed a 36-year military career, during which he held senior command and staff positions.
Lieutenant General Premaratne holds a Master’s degree in Defence Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School in California, United States, and a Master of Defence Studies degree from the University of Kelaniya.
He has also completed professional and specialist military training programs in Sri Lanka and overseas.
In recognition of his service during the humanitarian operation, Lieutenant General Premaratne has been awarded the Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP) on two occasions. He has also received the Uttama Seva Padakkama (USP) for distinguished service to the Sri Lanka Army.
