Major General Nilantha Premaratne of the Sri Lanka Artillery has been appointed as the 69th Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army with effect from May 29, the Army announced on Friday, NewsFirst reported.
The appointment follows the term of Major General Manada Yahampath, the 68th Chief of Staff, and marks a routine handover at the second-most senior post in the Army’s command structure. The Chief of Staff coordinates administration, training and operational planning under the Commander of the Army.
Premaratne is the Artillery officer to hold the post, succeeding officers drawn from the infantry and other arms in recent appointments. No further biographical detail was released by the Army with the announcement.
Major General K.V.N.P. Premaratne RSP USP nps psc formally assumed duties at Army Headquarters on Monday, June 1, by signing the official handover document at the Chief of Staff’s office amid religious observances, Ada Derana reported. He had previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff and continues to hold the appointment of Colonel Commandant of the Sri Lanka Artillery.
The Army has rotated several senior posts in recent months as part of the regular promotion and posting cycle that follows the start of a new operational year. The country remains under the state of emergency rolled forward by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake from May 28, with troops continuing to support cyclone recovery work and civil administration in flood-affected districts.
