Ruwan Wanigasooriya appointed Chief of National Intelligence

Colombo, Jan 02 (Daily Mirror) - Major General Ruwan Wanigasooriya (Retd) has been appointed as the new Chief of National Intelligence, the Ministry of Defence said.

He officially received his letter of appointment from Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) yesterday.

Major General Wanigasooriya commenced his duties in his new role at the Defence Ministry in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.

A distinguished alumnus of Ananda College, Colombo, the Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa, and the Officers Training School in Pakistan, Major Gen. Wanigasooriya was commissioned into the Artillery Regiment in 1986. Throughout his career, he has held various command, staff, and instructional positions. Notably, he served as Military Assistant to the Army Commander, as a United Nations Military Observer in Congo, and as Military Spokesman and Director of the Media Centre for National Security.

During the Humanitarian Operations, Major Gen. Wanigasooriya commanded two brigades in Northern Sri Lanka. After the conflict, he took on the role of Training Director at Army Headquarters, playing a key part in preparing the military to address post-war challenges. His commitment to developing future military leaders also saw him significantly contribute to institutions such as the Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka Military Academy, and the Defence Services Command and Staff College.

In terms of academic achievements, Major Gen. Wanigasooriya holds a Master’s Degree in Military Arts and Sciences from the United States Army Command and General Staff College (1997) and a Master’s Degree in Management Studies from Kotelawala Defence University (2008). He further specialized in Strategic Studies at Indonesia's National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) in 2016.

His career also includes representing the Defence Ministry at UNHRC sessions in Geneva and playing vital roles in major events like the Defence Seminar and Exercise Cormorant Strike. Additionally, he was instrumental in the establishment of the Officer Career Development Centre and the School of Logistics for the Sri Lanka Army.