Jagath Jayasuriya
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Jagath Jayasuriya, VSV
, USP
, ndc
, psc, SLAC
is a Sri Lanka
n military officer and is the current Commander of the Sri Lankan Army
. Prior to his appointment as army commander, he was the Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Wanni
during the final Eelam war
with overall command of the SLA offensives in the Wanni region during 2008 - 2009 period that led to a major victory for the SLA over the LTTE in the Sri Lankan civil war
.
; and National Defence University
. In 1990 he gained a Master of Science
Degree in Defence Studies
from the University of Madras
and had also attended the School of Armour, Pakistan and the Armoured Corps Centre and School, India.
He was the youngest of six brothers and one of his older brothers was an officer in the Sri Lanka Navy. He is married to Manjulika Aruna and has two children, Sanjaya and Deshanee.
and was commissioned into the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
as a Second Lieutenant
in 1980 with his military career spanning the Sri Lankan Civil War
. He was promoted to the ranks of Lieutenant
in 1981, Captain in 1984, Major
in 1988 and Lieutenant Colonel
in 1993. During this time he had served as a troop leader (1980–1983) and adjutant
(1984–1985) of the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment
. After a brief posting as a staff officer at Army Headquarters
, he was later appointed as squadron commander, 1st Reconnaissance Regiment. From 1990 to 1992 he had severed as a Brigade Major
, 9 Brigade in Jaffna
and had as Chief Instructor at Officers Study Centre and Staff Officer II (Training), Army Training Centre. In 1992 he was the Second in Command of the 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment
and had served as a Staff Officer of the Armoured Brigade in 1994 he became the Commanding Officer
, 1st Reconnaissance Regiment, Sri Lanka Armoured Corps till June 1995. During July 1995 - May 1996, he was the General Staff Officer
at the Joint Operations Headquarters (JOH) and later served as Military Secretary Army Headquarters.
In 1997 he was the Brigade Commander of the Armoured Brigade and in 1998 brigade commander, 563 Infantry Brigade. He was critically injured during the Operation Jayasikurui
in 1998, when his jeep hit a land mine
. After recuperating he was the military liaison officer at Ministry of Defence
till 2002 and was promoted to Brigadier
in 2001. That year he was appointment as Commandant
, Sri Lanka Military Academy
. In December 2004, he was appointed Director of Operations at Army Headquarters and thereafter promoted to the rank of Major General
he took over as General Officer Commanding
of the 52 Division.
In mid 2007 he was appointed as Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Wanni. From this capacity he directed the military operations in the Wanni region that was aimed at regaining area controlled by the LTTE. This saw several major battles which included the Battle of Vidattaltivu
, the Battle of Paranthan
, the Battle of Kilinochchi
, the Third Battle of Elephant Pass
and the Battle of Mullaitivu
. At the hight of the war he had 5 divisions and 3 task forces under his command, thus making it the largest military command in Sri Lankan military history. He is the Colonel Commandant of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
and the Mechanized Infantry Regiment
.
General Jayasuriya has received the Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya
(VSV), Uttama Seva Padakkama
(USP), the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal
, the Desha Putra Sammanaya
, the Riviresa Campaign Services Medal
, the Purna Bhumi Padakkama
and the North and East Operations Medal
.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Jagath Jayasuriya, VSV
Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya
The Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya medal and bar are presented to Sri Lankan senior military officers of three services, given that their loyal service is of not less than 25 years and possess a perfectly flawless record of moral and military conduct, will be appropriate for the award...
, USP
Uttama Seva Padakkama
The Uttama Seva Padakkama is presented to all ranks of the Regular Forces of the Sri Lankan military for valuable service and dedication to duty with the outstanding ability, merit and excellent conduct, given that they count not less than 15 years continuous and uninterrupted service and possess...
, ndc
NDC
NDC or ndc may refer to:*IATA code for Nanded Airport, India* ndc, "name daemon control program" in some Unix-based BIND name-server environments* N.D.C., a 2002 single by Australian band Jebediah* National Defence Commission of North Korea...
, psc, SLAC
Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps is currently a collection of six regular regiments and a volunteer regiment. It has an independent Armoured Brigade and provides the armour capability of the Sri Lankan Army, with vehicles such as the T-55, T-55AM2, and Type 69 main battle tanks, the BMP infantry...
is a Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n military officer and is the current Commander of the Sri Lankan Army
Commander of the Army (Sri Lanka)
Commander of the Army is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya...
. Prior to his appointment as army commander, he was the Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Wanni
Security Forces Headquarters - Wanni
Security Forces Headquarters - Wanni is a regional command of the Sri Lanka Army, that is responsible for the operational deployment and command all army units stationed in and around the southern part or the Wanni region of the Northern Province, this includes several divisions and the...
during the final Eelam war
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
with overall command of the SLA offensives in the Wanni region during 2008 - 2009 period that led to a major victory for the SLA over the LTTE in the Sri Lankan civil war
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
.
Education & Family
Educated at the prestigious Royal College, Colombo, Jayasuriya captained the college boxing team in 1977, winning colours for boxing and was a senior prefect. He is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College; the Defence Resource Management Institute, Naval Postgraduate SchoolNaval Postgraduate School
The Naval Postgraduate School is an accredited research university operated by the United States Navy. Located in Monterey, California, it grants master's degrees, Engineer's degrees and doctoral degrees...
; and National Defence University
National Defence University
National Defence University may refer to:University*Finnish National Defence University*PLA National Defense University, People's Republic of China*National Defense University, USA...
. In 1990 he gained a Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
Degree in Defence Studies
Military science
Military science is the process of translating national defence policy to produce military capability by employing military scientists, including theorists, researchers, experimental scientists, applied scientists, designers, engineers, test technicians, and military personnel responsible for...
from the University of Madras
University of Madras
The University of Madras is a public research university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the three oldest universities in India...
and had also attended the School of Armour, Pakistan and the Armoured Corps Centre and School, India.
He was the youngest of six brothers and one of his older brothers was an officer in the Sri Lanka Navy. He is married to Manjulika Aruna and has two children, Sanjaya and Deshanee.
Military career
Joining the army after leaving school in 1978 as a cadet officer, he was at the top of his class at the Army Training CentreSri Lanka Military Academy
The Sri Lanka Military Academy , commonly known simply as Diyatalawa, is the Sri Lanka Army's officer initial training centre located in the garrison town of Diyatalawa in the central highlands of Sri Lanka....
and was commissioned into the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps is currently a collection of six regular regiments and a volunteer regiment. It has an independent Armoured Brigade and provides the armour capability of the Sri Lankan Army, with vehicles such as the T-55, T-55AM2, and Type 69 main battle tanks, the BMP infantry...
as a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in 1980 with his military career spanning the Sri Lankan Civil War
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
. He was promoted to the ranks of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1981, Captain in 1984, Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in 1988 and Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in 1993. During this time he had served as a troop leader (1980–1983) and adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
(1984–1985) of the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment
Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps is currently a collection of six regular regiments and a volunteer regiment. It has an independent Armoured Brigade and provides the armour capability of the Sri Lankan Army, with vehicles such as the T-55, T-55AM2, and Type 69 main battle tanks, the BMP infantry...
. After a brief posting as a staff officer at Army Headquarters
Army Headquarters (Sri Lanka)
Army Headquarters refers to the military headquarters complex of the Sri Lanka Army. Situated next to Galle Face Green and long the Lower Lake Road, this complex also includes the Ministry of Defence. Apart from operational and administrative offices, it contains the regimental centers of several...
, he was later appointed as squadron commander, 1st Reconnaissance Regiment. From 1990 to 1992 he had severed as a Brigade Major
Brigade Major
In the British Army, a Brigade Major was the Chief of Staff of a brigade. He held the rank of Major and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section directly and oversaw the two other branches, "A - Administration" and "Q - Quartermaster"...
, 9 Brigade in Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
and had as Chief Instructor at Officers Study Centre and Staff Officer II (Training), Army Training Centre. In 1992 he was the Second in Command of the 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment
Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps is currently a collection of six regular regiments and a volunteer regiment. It has an independent Armoured Brigade and provides the armour capability of the Sri Lankan Army, with vehicles such as the T-55, T-55AM2, and Type 69 main battle tanks, the BMP infantry...
and had served as a Staff Officer of the Armoured Brigade in 1994 he became the Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
, 1st Reconnaissance Regiment, Sri Lanka Armoured Corps till June 1995. During July 1995 - May 1996, he was the General Staff Officer
General Staff
A military staff, often referred to as General Staff, Army Staff, Navy Staff or Air Staff within the individual services, is a group of officers and enlisted personnel that provides a bi-directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units...
at the Joint Operations Headquarters (JOH) and later served as Military Secretary Army Headquarters.
In 1997 he was the Brigade Commander of the Armoured Brigade and in 1998 brigade commander, 563 Infantry Brigade. He was critically injured during the Operation Jayasikurui
Operation Jayasikurui
Operation Jayasikurui , was a Sri Lankan military action launched on May 13, 1997; it lasted until it was called off in 1999...
in 1998, when his jeep hit a land mine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
. After recuperating he was the military liaison officer at Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka)
The Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order is the Sri Lankan government ministry responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces....
till 2002 and was promoted to Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
in 2001. That year he was appointment as Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
, Sri Lanka Military Academy
Sri Lanka Military Academy
The Sri Lanka Military Academy , commonly known simply as Diyatalawa, is the Sri Lanka Army's officer initial training centre located in the garrison town of Diyatalawa in the central highlands of Sri Lanka....
. In December 2004, he was appointed Director of Operations at Army Headquarters and thereafter promoted to the rank of Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
he took over as General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
of the 52 Division.
In mid 2007 he was appointed as Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Wanni. From this capacity he directed the military operations in the Wanni region that was aimed at regaining area controlled by the LTTE. This saw several major battles which included the Battle of Vidattaltivu
Battle of Vidattaltivu
The Battle of Vidattaltivu was a military conflict over the town of Vidattaltivu, Sri Lanka fought by the 58 Division of the Sri Lankan Military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam . The battle took place on July 16, 2008, part of the Northern Theater of Eelam War IV during the Sri Lankan...
, the Battle of Paranthan
Battle of Paranthan
The Battle of Paranthan was a military conflict over control of Paranthan, Sri Lanka between the 58 Division of the Sri Lankan Military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam as an engagement of the Northern Theater of Eelam War IV during the Sri Lankan civil war...
, the Battle of Kilinochchi
2008–2009 Battle of Kilinochchi
The Battle of Kilinochchi was a land battle fought between the Sri Lankan Military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for the control of the town of Kilinochchi in the Northern Theater of Eelam War IV during the Sri Lankan civil war between November 2008 and January 2009...
, the Third Battle of Elephant Pass
Third Battle of Elephant Pass
In the Third battle of Elephant Pass, Elephant Pass was recaptured from the Tamil Tigers by the security forces of the Sri Lankan Army.Mahinda Rajapaksa, the president of Sri Lanka declared that Elephant Pass was captured by the army on January 9, 2009....
and the Battle of Mullaitivu
Battle of Mullaitivu (2009)
The Battle of Mullaitivu was a land battle fought between the Sri Lankan Military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for the control of the town of Mullaitivu in the Northern Theater of Eelam War IV during the Sri Lankan civil war. The town of Mullaitivu was the last stronghold of the LTTE...
. At the hight of the war he had 5 divisions and 3 task forces under his command, thus making it the largest military command in Sri Lankan military history. He is the Colonel Commandant of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps is currently a collection of six regular regiments and a volunteer regiment. It has an independent Armoured Brigade and provides the armour capability of the Sri Lankan Army, with vehicles such as the T-55, T-55AM2, and Type 69 main battle tanks, the BMP infantry...
and the Mechanized Infantry Regiment
Mechanized Infantry Regiment
The Mechanized Infantry Regiment is the newest regiment in the Sri Lanka Army. It is made up of three regular battalions. Establish in 2007 its battalions equipped with Type 63 and WZ551 armoured personnel carriers make up the Mechanized Infantry Brigade .-History:The Mechanized Infantry Regiment...
.
General Jayasuriya has received the Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya
Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya
The Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya medal and bar are presented to Sri Lankan senior military officers of three services, given that their loyal service is of not less than 25 years and possess a perfectly flawless record of moral and military conduct, will be appropriate for the award...
(VSV), Uttama Seva Padakkama
Uttama Seva Padakkama
The Uttama Seva Padakkama is presented to all ranks of the Regular Forces of the Sri Lankan military for valuable service and dedication to duty with the outstanding ability, merit and excellent conduct, given that they count not less than 15 years continuous and uninterrupted service and possess...
(USP), the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal
Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal
The Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal shall be granted to All regular officers and other ranks of the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force, who complete 12 years continuous service and whose character and conduct have been irreproachable and who are recommended by their...
, the Desha Putra Sammanaya
Desha Putra Sammanaya
The Desha Putra Sammanaya is a Sri Lankan military decoration, equivalent to United States Purple Heart that awarded to those who are killed or wounded in combat.-Eligibility:...
, the Riviresa Campaign Services Medal
Riviresa Campaign Services Medal
The Riviresa Campaign Services Medal is presented to all ranks of the Regular and Volunteer Forces of the military of the Republic of Sri Lanka and to those who have served in Operation Riviresa.-Who received the medal:...
, the Purna Bhumi Padakkama
Purna Bhumi Padakkama
The Purna Bhumi Padakkama is presented to all ranks of the Regular and Volunteer Forces of the military of the Republic of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Police, who have served in the districts of:* Jaffna since July 22, 1977....
and the North and East Operations Medal
North and East Operations Medal
The North and East Operations Medal is presented to all ranks of the Regular and Volunteer Forces of the military of the Republic of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Police, who have served in the Norther and Eastern provinces for an accumulated period of 3 years since July 23, 1983.-Areas of service...
.