Colombo: Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has promoted Major General K.V.N.P. Premaratne RSP, USP, nps, psc, who has been serving as the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, to the rank of Lieutenant General and appointed him as the 26th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army.

According to Ministry of Defence – Sri Lanka, the letter of appointment was presented to Lieutenant General Premaratne by Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon. The appointment will take effect from 1 August, following the retirement of the incumbent Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, General Lasantha Rodrigo, today.

An old boy of St Servatius’ College, Matara, Lieutenant General Premaratne joined the Sri Lanka Army as an Officer Cadet in 1990. He completed his basic military training at the Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa, in 1992 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, subsequently joining the Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment
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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 (M. Def. S) degree from the University of Kelaniya. Throughout his 36-year military career, he has participated in numerous professional and specialist military training programs both in Sri Lanka and abroad.

In recognition of his gallantry during the humanitarian operation, Lieutenant General Premaratne has been awarded the Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP) twice. Additionally, he has received the Uttama Seva Padakkama (USP) for his distinguished service to the Sri Lanka Army.