# Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment

The Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR) (Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකා සිංහ රෙජිමේන්තුව Śrī Laṃkā Sinha Rejimēnthuva) is an infantry regiment of the Sri Lanka Army; it is the second oldest infantry regiment in the army.

## History

Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment was the first rifle regiment of the Sri Lanka Army and was formed on 1 October 1956 at the Imperial camp at Diyatalawa. The first battalion primarily consisted of 60 officers and other ranks from the Ceylon Light Infantry with Lt Col R. D. Jayathilaka MBE as the first commanding officer.
The D company of the volunteer Ceylon Light Infantry was transformed into the Rajarata Rifles under the leadership of Lt Col (later Colonel) S.D. Ratwatte, and went on to become the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Sinha Regiment on 1 October 1956. On 1 October 1969 the 3rd Volunteer Battalion of the Sinha Regiment was formed at Hill School in Nuwara Eliya.
The regiment first saw action during the 1971 Insurrection and underwent an expansion with escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War. With the expansion of the regiment the Regimental Centre of Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment was established on 9 May 1988 at Diyatalawa at the same location where the 1st Battalion of the Sinha Regiment was raised. Brig D Wijesingha was the first regimental commander. Later, on 21 October 1989 the Regimental Centre was relocated to Ambepussa Camp where the 1st Battalion of the Sinha Regiment was at that time. The regiment distinguished itself greatly during the Sri Lankan Civil War including having three Parama Weera Vibhushanaya and one Weerodara Vibhushanaya recipients. In 1990 the elements of the 6th Battalion successfully held the old Dutch fort of Jaffna for two months while surrounded and under siege until it was relieved by the subsequent Operation Thrividha Balaya. July 1991 the 6th Battalion garrisoned Elephant Pass base when it came under siege with the LTTE launching a massive attack on the base. The battalion held out what was termed the battle of all battles until it was relieved following Operation Balavegaya 18 days later.
On 3 May 2005 a contingent of troops from the regiment took part in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.
The Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment is the only regiment in the history of the Sri Lanka Army to produce an army commander holding the rank of a full general (four star) and later a Field Marshal as indicated in the notable members area.
As a rifle regiment it marches in 140 steps a minute during parade when it is involved, together with the regimental band - the only Sri Lanka Army regiment to do so.
Commander Security Force (Wanni) Major General WPADW Nanayakkara RSP VSV USP ndu assumed duties as the 18th Colonel of the Regiment of the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment on 01 January 2024. Brigadier CS Thibbotuge assumed duties as the 25th Commandant of the Regimental Centre Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment on 15 March 2023 during a charm ceremony held at the Regimental Centre, Ambepussa.

## Units

| No | Unit | Formed | Formed at | Disbanded | Notes |
| 1 | 1st Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 1 October 1956 | Imperial Camp in Diyatalawa | | |
| 2 | 2nd (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 1 October 1956 | | | Disbanded Rajarata Rifles was re-activated and re-designated as 2nd (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment |
| 3 | 3rd (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 1 October 1969 | Hill School, Nuwara Eliya | | |
| 4 | 4th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 1 December 1985 | Ambepussa Camp | | |
| 5 | 5th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 1 February 1987 | Kandy Camp | | |
| 6 | 6th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 10 August 1987 | CTS Ampara | | First commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel A.G. Weerasekara |
| 7 | 7th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 12 May 1990 | Ambepussa Camp | | First commanding officer was Major K.M.D.U.M. Kendaragama |
| 8 | 8th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 16 October 1992 | Konduwatuwana Camp | | First commanding office was Major J.C. Kotelawala |
| 9 | 9th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 1 January 1993 | Welioya Camp | | |
| 10 | 10th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 23 January 1994 | Sankattaravayal Camp | | On 12 March 2012 re-designated as the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Regiment |
| 11 | 11th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 16 April 1994 | Dewahuwa Camp | | |
| 12 | 12th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 9 December 1996 | Ambepussa Camp | | |
| 13 | 14th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 16 December 1996 | Ambepussa Camp | | |
| 14 | 15th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 16 April 1994 | Ponnalei Camp | | |
| 15 | 16th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 17 February 1997 | Ambepussa Camp | | |
| 16 | 17th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 1 December 2007 | Kataragama Camp | | |
| 17 | 18th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 30 March 2008 | Kalawanchikudai Camp | 3 August 2018 | |
| 18 | 19th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 31 August 2008 | Katukeliyawa Camp | 03 September 2018 | |
| 19 | 20th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 1 October 2008 | Vavunikulam Camp | | |
| 20 | 21st Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 1 December 2008 | Ambepussa Camp | | |
| 21 | 22nd (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 1 July 2009 | Ambepussa Camp | 10 March 2012 | |
| 22 | 23rd Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 1 August 2009 | Pooneryn Camp | | |
| 23 | 24th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 1 October 2009 | Alampil Camp | | |
| 24 | 25th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 20 September 2010 | Pampeimadu Camp | Disbanded | 2nd RFT Battalion Sinha Regiment re-designated as 25th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment |
| 25 | 26th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 20 September 2010 | Vedivettukallu Camp | Disbanded | 3rd RFT Battalion Sinha Regiment re-designated as 26th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment |
| 26 | 27th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 20 September 2010 | Gajasinghepura Camp | 29 February 2012 | 4th RFT Battalion Sinha Regiment re-designated as 27th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment |
| 27 | 28th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 20 September 2010 | Madu Camp | 29 February 2012 | 1st RFT Battalion Sinha Regiment re-designated as 28th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment |
| 28 | RHQ Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment | 25 November 1999 | | | |

## Recipients of the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya

* Corporal Gamini Kularatne †
* Captain Saliya Upul Aladeniya †
* Lance-Corporal A. M. B. H. G. Abeyrathnebanda †
* Sergeant A. M. Anura †
* Lance Corporal K. G. M. Rajapaksha †

## Recipients of the Weerodara Vibhushanaya

* Captain (QM) P. L. S. L. Cooray - 1989
* Corporal R. P. R. Wickramapala - 1998

## Commanders

* Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, rcds, psc – 18th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army
* General G. H. de Silva, RWP, VSV, USP – 13th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army

## Chiefs of Staff

* Major General H.S Hapuarachchi – 26th Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army.
* Major General Dinesh Nanayakkara, RSP, VSV, USP, ndu – 65th Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army.

## Deputy Chiefs of Staff

* Major General Gemunu Kulatunge, RSP, USP † – 4th Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army.
* Major General Jaliya Nammuni, RSP, VSV, USP – 6th Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army.
* Major General Kumudu Perera, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndu– 31st Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army.
* Major General G.R.R.P Jayawardena, RWP, RSP, ndu – 42nd Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army.

## Notable Members

* General Anuruddha Ratwatte – Former Cabinet Minister and Deputy Minister of Defence
* Major General E. G. Thevanayagam
* Major General MAM Dias RWP, RSP, VSV, USP ,PSC – Former General Officer Commanding, 54 Division in Mannar
* Major General Laksiri Waduge RWP RSP VSV USP ndu – Former Commander Security Forces Headquarters – Central
* Major General Susantha Mendis † – Former Brigade Commander, 512 Brigade.
* Major General D.W. Hapuarachchi – Commanding Officer - 1st Bn SLSR, Founder Commanding Officer Sri Lanka National Guard
* Brigadier T.S.B. Sally - Commanding Officer – 1st Bn SLSR, Chief of Staff, Sri Lanka Army.
* Brigadier S.B. Miyanadeniya – Commanding Officer - 1st Bn SLSR, Director Training SL Army
* Major D.M.L.B.Dissanayake RSP – Commanding Officer - 15th Bn SLSR
* Staff Sergeant Pradeep Sanjaya, – Bronze medalist 400m London Paralympics 2012, 4th Battalion Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment.

## Order of precedence

| Preceded bySri Lanka Light Infantry | Order of precedence | Succeeded byGemunu Watch |