Ravindra Wijegunaratne

Ravindra Wijegunaratne

Allegiance	Sri Lanka
Service/branch	Sri Lanka Navy
Rank	Rear Admiral
Unit	Special Boat Squadron
Commands held	Chief of Staff, Director General Coast Guard, Commander Eastern Naval Command, Commander Northern Naval Area, Commander Western Naval Command, Commander Southern Naval Command, Director Naval Operations
Battles/wars	Sri Lankan Civil War
Awards	Weerodara Vibhushanaya, Rana Wickrama Padakkama (twice), Rana Sura Padakkama, Uttama Seva Padakkama

Rear Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne, WV, RWP & Bar, RSP, USP, ndc, psc, MNI, SLN is a Sri Lankan admiral. He is the current Chief of Staff^[1] of the Sri Lanka Navy^[2] and had served as the Director General Coast Guard, Commander of four of the five Naval Commands of the Navy which are the Eastern,^[3] Northern,^[4] Western and Southern Naval Commands. Wijegunaratne had also served as Director Naval Operations and a recipient of the Weerodara Vibhushanaya^[5]

Education

Educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo, where he became a President's Scout. He joined the Sri Lanka Navy as an officer cadet of the 9th Intake at the Naval & Maritime Academy Trincomalee in the executive branch. Upon successful completion of officer training as a Midshipman at the Naval and Maritime Academy and at the Britannia Royal Naval College he was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant. At Britannia Royal Naval College, he won the Best International Midshipman Award in 1982. Thereafter underwent the Sub Lieutenant Technical Course in India, specialized in anti-submarine warfare and later took the staff course at Pakistan Naval Staff College. In 1996 he gained a BSc (Hons) (War Studies) from the University of Karachi and later graduated from the National Defense University (NESA Centre) and National Defence College, India (50th NDC Course - 2010). In 2010 he did his MPhil in Defence and Strategic Studies at the University of Madras. He is a Member of the Nautical Institute.

Naval career

Wijegunaratne raised the elite Special Boat Squadron (SBS) the naval special forces unit of the Sri Lanka Navy, in 1993. He led the SBS in an amphibious operation during the Battle of Pooneryn in 1993 and has commanded the unit from 1993 to 1994 and 1999 to 2000. He is a qualified diver, undergone Commando training and parachute qualified. Wijegunaratne has led SBS in a number of operations against LTTE terrorists including Operation Pawan alongside MARCOS units and also led SBS in various training exercises with U.S. Navy SEALs and Marine Commandos (MARCOS) of the Indian Navy.

He has served as Commanding Officer of SLNS Sayura the flagship of navy and from June 2005 to March 2006. He also served as First Secretary (Defence Adviser) of Sri Lankan High Commission in New Delhi. As First Secretary in Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi, his outstanding effort to coordinate Indian Military assistance to Sri Lanka during Tsunami disaster in December 2004 was highly appreciated by both the governments.

Promoted to the rank of Commodore he served as Director Naval Operations, Director Naval Weapon Systems, Director Special Forces, Director Maritime Surveillance and the Commandant of Naval and Maritime Academy. As Director Naval Operations in 2007, he played a major role in the anti arms smuggling operations that lead to the distraction of several LTTE gun running ships in the Indian Ocean. In 2009 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral, youngest Rear Admiral in the Sri Lanka Navy. Thereafter he served as Flag Officer Commanding Naval Fleet, Director General Services and went on to be Commander Southern, Western, Northern and Eastern Naval Areas.

Rear Admiral Wijegunaratne has been awarded the Weerodara Vibhushanaya the highest award for non-combat bravery and the gallantry medals Rana Wickrama Padakkama twice and Rana Sura Padakkama for individual acts of bravery in combat, the service medals Uttama Seva Padakkama and Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal.

Rear Admiral Wijegunaratne was an outstanding sportsman in the Navy who has represent Sri Lanka Navy in Rugby Football, Sailing/Rowing and Practical Pistol firing/Rifle firing. He has represented Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, UK in Hockey. He has played for Sri Lanka Navy Rugby Football team for number of years and Sri Lanka Navy Coloursman in Rugby Football, Sailing and Rowing. He has been Chairman of Sri Lanka Navy Rugby Football and Sailing/Rowing. He also performed duties as senior coordinator of Sri Lanka Navy Musketry, Wrestling, Judo and Karate. Currently he is the Chairman SLN Golf Club. At National Level, he has been the President of National Rifle Association.

Family

Rear Admiral Wijegunaratne married to Yamuna De Saram. She was Miss Sri Lanka 1989, who represented the Country at Miss Asia Pacific contest in Philippines in 1989. She was a former model and teledrama actress. They were blessed with Son, Satyajith who is 22 years old and keen Golfer.

Ravindra Wijegunaratne

Education

Naval career

Family

See also

References