Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo Appointed as Commander of the Army
December 30, 2024Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo, RSP, psc, IG, MA in SSS (USA), MSc in SSS (KDU) has been appointed as the 25th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) by His Excellency President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
An alumnus of St. Benedict's College, Colombo, Lieutenant General Rodrigo commenced his distinguished military career in 1989 as an officer cadet. Following basic training at the Sri Lanka Military Academy (SLMA) in Diyatalawa and the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun, India, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Regiment of Sri Lanka Artillery in 1990.
Throughout his career, Lieutenant General Rodrigo has completed several advanced courses to enhance his expertise, including the Advance Gunnery (Field) Course, the Long Gunnery Staff Course, the Higher Defence Orientation Course in India, and the Artillery Battalion Commander Course in China.
He also holds a Master of Arts in Strategic Security Studies from the National Defence University (NDU) in Washington, D.C., USA, and a Master of Science in Security and Strategic Studies from General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU). Additionally, he is a graduate of the Army Command and Staff College, Sri Lanka (now the Defence Services Command and Staff College).
Lieutenant General Rodrigo has served in a variety of leadership roles and has been directly involved in combat operations, sustaining injuries three times during engagements with LTTE offensives. For his bravery on the battlefield, he has been honoured with the Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP).
He has held several key appointments within the SLA, including Commanding Officer of the 18th Regiment of Sri Lanka Artillery, Commander of the 661 Infantry Brigade, Commander of the 663 Infantry Brigade, and General Officer Commanding of the 66 Infantry Division in Pooneryn. In addition, he has commanded the Security Forces Central and the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force and has served as the Colonel Commandant of the Regiment of Sri Lanka Artillery.
At Army Headquarters, he held the position of Director of Overseas Operations and later served as the Commandant of the Defence Services Command and Staff College, Sri Lanka. Prior to his current appointment, Lieutenant General Rodrigo served as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the SLA.
Lieutenant General Rodrigo is married to Mrs. Swendrini Rodrigo, and the couple is blessed with a son and two daughters.
