Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

Lasantha Rodrigo, RSP, is a senior

Sri Lanka Army The Sri Lanka Army (; ) is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. The army was officially established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, though the army traces its roots back in 1881 when Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers was created; ...

officer, who is the current

Commander of the Sri Lanka Army The Commander of the Army () is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo. The post's precursor was known as Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force. Se ...

. An alumnus of St. Benedict's College, Colombo, Rodrigo was appointed Commander of the Army on 31 December 2024 succeeding General Vikum Liyanage. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army from 28 November to 30 December 2024.

Military career

Rodrigo joined the

as an officer cadet on 20 January 1989 under Regular Intake - 31. Upon successfully completing officer cadet training in the Sri Lanka Military Academy and

Indian Military Academy The Indian Military Academy (IMA) is one of the oldest military academies in India, and trains officers for the Indian Army. Located in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, it was established in 1932 following a recommendation by a military committee set up ...

, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Sri Lanka Artillery in 1991. During his long army career, Rodrigo served as an instructor at the Army Training School, GSO - 2 (Intelligence/Security) at the directorate of operations of the army headquarters, GSO - 2 (Operations) at the headquarters of the 53 Division, GSO - 1 (Operations) of 22 Division. He also served as the commanding officer of 18 Field Regiment Artillery. He commanded the 663 and the 661 infantry brigades, the 66 Division, the

Defence Services Command and Staff College The Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) is situated at Batalanda, Makola (South) 12 Kilometers away from Colombo and its aim to develop the professional knowledge and understanding of experienced officers of the Sri Lanka Army, Sr ...

, Security Forces Headquarters - Central and the

Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force The Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force (SLAVF) is the active-duty volunteer reserve force of the Sri Lanka Army. The SLAVF is separate from the Regular Force (known as the ''regular army'') which consists of personal who are professional soldier ...

. He completed the basic officer cadet course from the Sri Lanka Military Academy,

Diyatalawa Diyatalawa (), (), meaning ) is a former garrison town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka, in the Badulla District of Uva Province. It is situated at an altitude of and has become a popular destination for local holiday makers. It is home ...

and the platoon commanders course at Maduru Oya. He underwent several courses in India and Pakistan including 'Officer Cadet Course' in

Dehradun Dehradun (), also known as Dehra Doon, is the winter capital and the List of cities in Uttarakhand by population, most populous city of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous Dehradun district, d ...

, India, 'Artillery Young Officers Course' in India and 'Officers Locating Course' in Pakistan. He holds Masters of Arts in strategic security studies from the

National Defense University National Defence (or Defense) University (or College) may refer to: :''Alphabetical by country'' University * Marshal Fahim National Defense University, Afghanistan * National Defense University (Azerbaijan) * People's Liberation Army National Defe ...

of the United States and also Masters of Science in security and strategic studies from the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University of Sri Lanka. He is a graduate of the

, Sri Lanka.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodrigo, Lasantha Living people Commanders of the Sri Lanka Army Sri Lankan lieutenant generals Alumni of St. Benedict's College, Colombo