In a historic move to mark the 72nd Anniversary of the Sri Lanka Army also known as the Army Day (10 October), promotions have been granted to 567 Officers and 10,368 Other Ranks, the SL Army said.  

The promotions have been made with the approval of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces on the recommendation of General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army and the Ministry of Defence.

Accordingly, 8 Senior Brigadiers to the rank of Major General, 17 Colonels to the rank of Brigadier, 42 Lieutenant Colonels to the rank of Colonel, 60 Majors to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, 256 Captains to the rank of Major, 10 Lieutenants to the rank of Captain, 152 2nd Lieutenants to the rank of Lieutenant and 22 Probation Officers commissioned to the rank of Lieutenant (QM) in total received these Army Day promotions on 10 October 2021.

The Sri Lanka Army says that after General Shavendra Silva took the mantle of the Army Command on 18 August 2019, the highest-ever number of promotions have been granted to both Officers and Other Ranks in the organization within a short period of two years after his assumption of office.

Unprecedented in its history of 72 years, a record number of 3,873 promotions to Officers and 78,707 promotions to Other Ranks including today’s ones have been granted to-date after 18 August 2019.

In his Army Day Message, the commander said they have also been able to successfully enhance the cadre vacancy of the Volunteer Force with 07 Brigadier Ranks, 17 Colonel Ranks, and 48 Lieutenant Colonel Ranks to avoid any hurdle to career progression of the Volunteer Force Officers.

Accordingly, the following senior army officers have been promoted to Majors General;

Major General Priyantha Weerasingha of Sri Lanka Army Ordnance Corps (SLAOC), Director General Ordnance Service at the Army Headquarters, Major General Anil Illangakoon of Sri Lanka Corps of Military Police (SLCMP), Commander, Forward Maintenance Area - Mullaittivu, Major General Robin Jayasooriya of Military Intelligence Corps (MIC), Director General Military Intelligence, Major General Sanjaya Fernando of Gajaba Regiment (GR), Commandant, Institute of Peace Support Operations Sri Lanka (IPSOTSL), Major General Rohitha Aluvihare of VIR, General Officer Commanding, 58 Division, Major General Dinesh Nanayakkara of Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR), Military Liaison Officer, Ministry of Defence, Major General Lasantha Rodrigo of Sri Lanka Artillery (SLA), General Officer Commanding, 66 Division and Major General Chandana Wickramasinghe of GR, General Officer Commanding, 52 Division.