New army commander ... Major General Shavendra Silva

New army commander ... Major General Shavendra Silva

After the tenure of Lieutenant General Mr. Mahesh Senanayaka as army commander ended yesterday, the President has decided to appoint Major General Mr. Shavendra Silva for the position of army commander. The said appointment was executed today (19), President's office reports. It was reported this morning that a letter was forwarded to secretary of defence by former army commander Mahesh Senanayaka
proposing Shavendra saying that Shavendra is the most suitable person for this position. 

Shavendra who happens to be a bright student and Old Boy of St. Thomas's College, Matale joined his service with the army on March 5th, 1984. He incidentally is a senior officer who in fact was an instructor, chief of staff  as well as an officer who excelled in the battlefield. Major General Shavendra Silva held the position of Sri Lanka deputy permanent representative and ambassador as well at United Nations Organisation in New York. 

Major General Shavendra Silva has held several ranks of commanding and administration being an officer of the infantry and later was appointed as regimental colonel of infantry regiment. He was the head of the Presidential army unit deployed at the residence of the then President J.R. Jayawardene in the year 1987. The humanitarian operations conducted against terrorists comprising the 53rd division of the air mobile brigade was headed by him. This distinguished officer handled the battalion in an outstanding manner even during decisive and most arduous periods as commanding officer of three infantry battalions. He thus went on to carry out duties of the army secretariat, as director of the planning board, training board of directors and of defence regiment of Jaffna operating as chief of staff. He also carried out a large service as director of operations of army headquarters with the finale of humanitarian operations in the year 2009 as well as regimental head of the commando regiment. 

He is the first second lieutenant in Sri Lankan military history to be awarded the three padakkam Weera Wickrama, Rana Wickrama Padakkama and Rana Sura Padakkama at once. Further, he was a brave officer who underwent various field-training in the most brilliant manner in foreign lands such as United States of America, Israel, France, the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Pakistan and India. In fact it was he who occupied second leading position of 53rd chief of staff of the Sri Lankan army before being appointed army commander today.