New Army, Navy Commanders to be appointed

Colombo, Dec 30 (Daily Mirror) - Major General Lasantha Rodrigo will assume the position of the 25th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, succeeding retiring Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage.

In addition, Rear Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy is set to take over as the 26th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, effective January 1, 2025. 

He will replace Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera. 

Rear Admiral Banagoda, an alumnus of S. Thomas' College, Bandarawela, joined the Navy in 1989 as an Officer Cadet of the 19th intake in the Executive Branch.

Meanwhile, General Shavendra Silva will also retire from the position of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and from active service in the Sri Lanka Army, effective January 1, 2025. 

General Silva, who assumed office as the 8th CDS on June 1, 2022, has completed over 40 years of distinguished service in the Army. He previously served as the Acting Chief of Defence Staff and the 23rd Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, becoming the first four-star General to command the Army before taking up his current role.

Meanwhile, the term of Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, the current Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, is set to expire next month.