The Rajarata Rifles was a former

rifle regiment A rifle regiment is a military unit consisting of a regiment of infantry troops armed with rifles and known as riflemen. While all infantry units in modern armies are typically armed with rifled weapons the term is still used to denote regiments ...

of the

Sri Lanka Army ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம் , image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png , image_size = 180px , caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army , start_date ...

. It was one of only three geographically based regiments in the Sri Lanka army. The cap badge of the Raja Rata Rifles show the figure of a ''Bherunda Pakshiya'' (

Double-headed eagle In heraldry and vexillology, the double-headed eagle (or double-eagle) is a charge associated with the concept of Empire. Most modern uses of the symbol are directly or indirectly associated with its use by the late Byzantine Empire, original ...

First Rajarata Rifles

Raised along with

Ruhunu Regiment The Ruhunu Regiment was a former Military reserve force of the Ceylon Army. The regiment was raised in 1954 in Galle with a detachment in Matara. It was disbanded in 1956 when S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike became prime minister as he considered the unit t ...

in 1954, by Prime Minister Colonel Sir John Kotelawala with officers and men from the Charley Company of the 2nd(Volunteer) Battalion, Ceylon Light Infantry under the command of Lieutenant Colonel

S.D. Ratwatte Colonel Sooriyaratne Douglas Ratwatte, ED was a Sri Lankan army officer. He was the Commandant of the Volunteer Force. Born in to a prominent Radala family in Kandy, Ratwatte as educated at Trinity College, Kandy. He joined the Ceylon De ...

Kandy Kandy ( si, මහනුවර ''Mahanuwara'', ; ta, கண்டி Kandy, ) is a major city in Sri Lanka located in the Central Province. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills ...

. In 1956, Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike had the Rajarata Rifles and Ruhunu Regiment disbanded fearing personal loyalty of the regiments to Sir John Kotelawala. The Rajarata Rifles were disbanded and its personal transferred to form the 2nd(Volunteer) Battalion, Ceylon Sinha Regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel

Second Rajarata Rifles

The second regiment called the Rajarata Rifles was formed at Saliyapura in 1980 under its first commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel W. K. Nanayakkara, with Captain Gotabaya Rajapaksa serving as its

adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...

. In 1983, following a mutiny the regiment was disbanded with its remaining officers and men amalgamated with the 1st Battalion of the

Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment The Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Sri Lankan Army. Formed on 22 March 1988, it is named after Vijayabahu I of Polonnaruwa (King Vijayabahu, 1055 to 1110 AD). The regiment consists of 17 regular battalions, 9 volu ...

in 1983 to form the

Gajaba Regiment The Gajaba Regiment (GR) is an elite infantry regiment of the Sri Lankan Army. Formed on 14 October 1983 at the Saliyapura Camp in Anuradhapura, it is named after the famous Sinhalese warrior King Gajabahu the First. It consists of 14 regular ...

Notable members

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

A. F. Lafir, PWV, RWP, RSP - Commanding Officer of the 1st Special Forces Regiment * Lieutenant Colonel Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, RWP, RSP, GR –

President of Sri Lanka The President of Sri Lanka ( si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා ජනාධිපති ''Śrī Laṃkā Janādhipathi''; ta, இலங்கை சனாதிபதி ''Ilankai janātipati'') is the head of state and head of government of t ...

and former

Permanent Secretary A permanent secretary (also known as a principal secretary) is the most senior civil servant of a department or ministry charged with running the department or ministry's day-to-day activities. Permanent secretaries are the non-political civil s ...

to the Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order *

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Kamal Gunaratne - former General Officer Commanding, 53 Division

References

{{Sri Lanka Army Regiments Disbanded regiments of the Sri Lankan Army Infantry regiments of the Sri Lankan Army Rifle regiments Military units and formations established in 1954 Military units and formations disestablished in 1983