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| Monday, 28 June 2004 |
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Major General Shantha Kottegoda has been appointed Commander of the Sri Lanka Army by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Defence Ministry officials said yesterday. He is due to assume duties as the 17th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army from July 1 following the retirement of Lieutenant General Lionel Balagalle on June 30.
Born in Kottegoda, Matara, he joined the Sri Lanka Army in February 1970. He was enlisted to the first Battalion, Ceylon Light Infantry following his commissioning as a Second Lieutenant in June 1971. He was promoted Lieutenant (1973), Captain (1976), Major (1980), Lt. Colonel (1988), Colonel (1991), Brigadier (1993) and Major General in 1998. He was appointed the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army on November 24, 2003. He was the Deputy Chief of Staff from October 2003 to November 2003. Major General Kottegoda earlier served as Assistant Director/ Deputy Director in charge of the Counter Terrorist Division, National Intelligence Bureau before he commanded the fourth Battalion Sri Lanka Light Infantry. From 2000-2002, he functioned as the Security Forces Commander in Wanni. He held a number of Staff appointments at the Army Headquarters, as head of the Directorate of Military Intelligence and Director General Training. While holding the post of the Chief of Staff of the Army, he was appointed the Overall Security Forces Commander by the President to look into security matters in the East. Major General Kottegoda followed several overseas courses and also has attended seminars related to his service career. Among the course and seminars he has attended are the Pacific Armies Management Seminar in USA, Senior Commandant course and Junior Commandant course in India, and Battalion Support Weapons Course and Platoon Commanders Course in India. During his career in the Army, he was decorated with several Gallantry Medals including Weera Wickrama Vibushana, Rana Wickrama Padakkama, Rana Sura Padakkama, Uttama Seva Padakkama, Purna Bhumi Padakkama and Vadmarachchi Operation Medal. He was nominated the Military Advisor to the Government delegation at the preliminary level peace talks between the Government and the LTTE. |
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