Nandana Udawatta
Encyclopedia
Major General
Nandana Udawatta, RSP
, USP
, psc, SLAC
is a Sri Lanka
n general
, who is the current Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Mullaittivu
and was the General Officer Commanding
, 59 Division
during the SLA offensives in the Wanni region during 2008 - 2009 period that lead to a major victory for the SLA over the LTTE in the Sri Lankan civil war
.
Educated at Royal College, Colombo, Udawatta joined the army on August 31, 1981 after leaving school and was commissioned in to the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
in 1982 as a Second Lieutenant
. He was promoted as Lieutenant
in 1984, Captain in 1986, Major
in 1990, Lieutenant Colonel
in 1997 and Colonel
in 2000. He went to become the commanding officer
the 5th Reconnaissance Regiment
, SLAC and Commander of Armoured Corps four times and played a major role in operations such as Jayasikuru
, Wanni Wickrama and Green Belt.
In 2006 he was promoted the rank of Brigadier
and severed as Deputy officiating GOC of the 57 Division
. On November 13, 2007 he was appointed as officiating General Officer Commanding of the newly formed 59 Division
. The 59 Division was tasked with single-handedly fighting its way to recapture the rebel strong hold of Mullaitivu
from the welioya sector. The division captured much of the district of Mullaitivu, the major LTTE One Four
base and finally the town of Mullaitivu during the Mullaitivu Battle
in early 2009. On February 5, 2009 he was promoted to the rank of Major General
. Thereafter on May 10, 2009 he was appointed briefly as Overall Operations Commander, Anuradhapura
prior to being posted as Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Mullaittivu in June 2009.
General Udawatta has received the Rana Sura Padakkama
(RSP), Uttama Seva Padakkama
(USP), the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal
, the Riviresa Campaign Services Medal
, the Purna Bhumi Padakkama
and the North and East Operations Medal
.
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...
Nandana Udawatta, RSP
Rana Sura Padakkama
The Rana Sura Padakkama is a medal presented to members of all ranks of the Military of Sri Lanka for individual and/or associated acts of heroism in facing the enemy and performed of their own accord. The decoration is presented by the President of Sri Lanka...
, 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...
, 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 general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
, who is the current Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Mullaittivu
Security Forces Headquarters - Mullaittivu
Security Forces Headquarters - Mullaittivu is a regional command of the Sri Lanka Army, that is responsible for the operational deployment and command all army units stationed in Mullaittivu District, this includes several divisions and the independent brigades. This a new command established to...
and was the 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...
, 59 Division
59 Division (Sri Lanka)
The 59 Division is an infantry division of the Sri Lanka Army formed in 2007. A principal offensive division it is currently deployed for combat operations in the Wanni region.-Operations:...
during the SLA offensives in the Wanni region during 2008 - 2009 period that lead 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...
.
Educated at Royal College, Colombo, Udawatta joined the army on August 31, 1981 after leaving school and was commissioned in to 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...
in 1982 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...
. He was promoted as 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 1984, Captain in 1986, 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 1990, 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 1997 and Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in 2000. He went to become 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...
the 5th Reconnaissance Regiment
Formation reconnaissance regiment
The Formation Reconnaissance Regiment is one of two organisations currently provided by cavalry regiments of the British Army. Until recently, it was known as the Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment....
, SLAC and Commander of Armoured Corps four times and played a major role in operations such as Jayasikuru
Operation Jayasikurui
Operation Jayasikurui , was a Sri Lankan military action launched on May 13, 1997; it lasted until it was called off in 1999...
, Wanni Wickrama and Green Belt.
In 2006 he was promoted the rank of 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....
and severed as Deputy officiating GOC of the 57 Division
57 Division (Sri Lanka)
The 57 Division is a newly formed infantry division of the Sri Lanka Army. A principal offensive division it is currently deployed for combat operations in the Wanni region.-Formation:...
. On November 13, 2007 he was appointed as officiating General Officer Commanding of the newly formed 59 Division
59 Division (Sri Lanka)
The 59 Division is an infantry division of the Sri Lanka Army formed in 2007. A principal offensive division it is currently deployed for combat operations in the Wanni region.-Operations:...
. The 59 Division was tasked with single-handedly fighting its way to recapture the rebel strong hold of Mullaitivu
Mullaitivu
Mullaitivu is a small town on the north-eastern coast of Sri Lanka. It is the capital of Mullaitivu District in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. A largely fishing settlement, the town in the early 20th century grew as an anchoring harbour of the small sailing vessels transporting goods between...
from the welioya sector. The division captured much of the district of Mullaitivu, the major LTTE One Four
base and finally the town of Mullaitivu during the Mullaitivu Battle
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...
in early 2009. On February 5, 2009 he was 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...
. Thereafter on May 10, 2009 he was appointed briefly as Overall Operations Commander, Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...
prior to being posted as Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Mullaittivu in June 2009.
General Udawatta has received the Rana Sura Padakkama
Rana Sura Padakkama
The Rana Sura Padakkama is a medal presented to members of all ranks of the Military of Sri Lanka for individual and/or associated acts of heroism in facing the enemy and performed of their own accord. The decoration is presented by the President of Sri Lanka...
(RSP), 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 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...
.