# 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 King Gajabahu the First. It consists of 14 regular battalions and 6 volunteer battalions.

## History

The 1st battalion, Gajaba Regiment was formed on 14 October 1983 with the amalgamation of officers and men of the 1st Rajarata Rifles and the 1st Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Vijaya Wimalaratne at Saliyapura Camp with a strength of 36 officers and 752 other ranks. The 2/3 (Volunteer) Rajarata Rifles was reconstituted as the 2nd (Volunteer) battalion, Gajaba Battalion at Fort Fredrick in Trincomalee on the 14 October 1983 under the command of the Lieutenant Colonel W.R. Wijerathna. The Cap badge of the Gajaba Regiment was designed with a shield, two Keteri (battle axes) and a Kandian powder flask. The newly formed regular infantry battalion was deployed for internal security duties in the Jaffna peninsula from 1983 to 1984 and again in 1985, where it sustained casualties in counter-insurgency operations. With the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War and Sri Lanka Army expanded and to cope with the demand of operational needs, a multi-battalion structure was introduced. A second regular infantry battalion was formed as the 3rd battalion in January 1986. Both regular battalions took part in the Vadamarachchi Operation in May 1987. With the start of the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection, both regular and volunteer units of the regiment were deployed in the southern part of the island for counter-insurgency operations. The regiment took part in all major offensives of the civil war and was involved in many major battles were the Gajaba units involved suffered over 80% casualty rates such as the 3rd battalion (149 killed and 115 missing) in the Battle of Pooneryn and the 8th battalion in the Second Battle of Elephant Pass. By the end of the Sri Lankan Civil War, the regiment had 27 battalions and 3,500 of its officers and men had been killed in action.
The regiment was awarded President's colours by President Mahinda Rajapakse on 11 January 2007. In 2008 a detachment from the regiment was sent to take part in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.

## Sports
### Gajaba Supercross

Since 1999, the Gajaba Regiment organizes the annual Gajaba Supercross in association with the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders.

### Gajaba Cricket

In 2021 the regiment built the Gotabaya Rajapaksa Cricket Stadium commissioned Thisara Perera as an officer.

## Units

| No | Unit | Formed | Formed at | Disbanded | First commanding officer | Notes |
| 1 | 1st Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 14 October 1983 | Saliyapura Camp | | Lieutenant Colonel Vijaya Wimalaratne | This Battalion was established amalgamating the 1st Rajarata Rifle battalion and 1st Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment |
| 2 | 2nd (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 14 October 1983 | Fort Fredrieck, Trincomalee | | Lieutenant Colonel W.R. Wijerathna | Disbanded 2nd Rajarata Rifles was re-activated and re-designated as 2nd (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment. |
| 3 | 3rd Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 12 January 1986 | | | Major S.T.T. Jayasundara | |
| 4 | 4th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 17 August 1987 | Siddapura, Punani in Batticaloa District | | Lieutenant Colonel N. Rathnayake | Later converted to 3rd Mechanized Infantry Regiment. From 23 November 2022, 24th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment Re-designationed as 4th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment |
| 5 | 5th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 3 March 1989 | Colombo | | Lieutenant Colonel P.C. Premachandra | |
| 6 | 6th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 17 May 1990 | Saliyapura, Anuradhapura | | Lieutenant Colonel T.W. Jayawardana | |
| 7 | 7th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 14 December1990 | Pankulam, Moravewa, Trincomalee District | | Lieutenant Colonel A.D.J.P. Suraweera | |
| 8 | 8th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 17 December 1992 | Saliyapura Camp | | Major T.B. Moseth | Later merged with 1st Gajaba Regiment on 4 June 2000 and later on the 20th June 2001, the 8th Battalion Gajaba Regiment, was re- established at Saliyapura camp under Major H.R.N. Fernando. |
| 9 | 9th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 8 March 1993 | | | Lieutenant Colonel A.D. Subasinghe | Later merged with 4th Gajaba Regiment on 1 June 2000 and later on the 4th February 2004, the 9th Battalion Gajaba Regiment, was re- established at Saliyapura camp under Lieutenant Colonel G.S.B. Thenne. |
| 10 | 10th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 7 January 1994 | Saliyapura | | Major N.A.J.C. Dias | |
| 11 | 11th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 21 April 1994 | Horowupothana | | Lieutenant Colonel H.H.L. DE Silva | |
| 12 | 12th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 8 October 2007 | | | Lieutenant Colonel N.D.S.P. Niwnhella | |
| 13 | 14th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 27 December 1997 | | | Major N.A. Dharmarathna | |
| 14 | 15th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 23 January 1997 | Meegalewa Bongama | | Major B. Ediriweera | |
| 15 | 16th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 22 October 2008 | Illuppukadaweli Government School | | Major K.P.S.A. Fenando | |
| 16 | 17th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 1 December 2007 | Horowpathana | | Major V.S. Kumarawansa | |
| 17 | 18th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 30 March 2008 | | 04 September 2018 | | |
| 18 | 19th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 25 September 2008 | | 25 August 2018 | | |
| 19 | 20th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 5 December 2008 | | | Major R.M.A.B. Rathnayaka | |
| 20 | 21st (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 25 March 2009 | | 07 April 2012 | | |
| 21 | 22nd Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 3 July 2009 | Saliyapura Anuradhapura | | Lieutenant Colonel D.R.N. Hettiarachchi | |
| 22 | 23rd Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 18 August 2009 | Gajaba Regiment Center | 20 July 2023 | Lieutenant Colonel K.P.S.A. Fernando | |
| 23 | 24th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 18 October 2009 | Saliyapura Anuradhapura | | Major D.U.N. Serasingha | From 23 November 2022 Re-designationed as 4th battalion the Gajaba Regiment |
| 24 | 25th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 10 November 2009 | | 29 February 2012 | | |
| 25 | 26th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment | 1 November 2009 | Kalmadukulam | ?? | Lieutenant Colonel W M S N Eragoda | |
| 26 | HQ Battalion of Gajaba Regiment | 27 May 1993 | | | Major D.J.I. Peramunu Gamage | |

## Recipient of the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya

* Lieutenant K. W. T. Nissanka †
* Warrant Officer II H.B. Pasan Gunasekera †
* Captain P. N. Punsiri †
* Major W.M.I.S.B. Walisundara †

## Commanders

* General Shavendra Silva, WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndc, psc - 23rd Commander of the Sri Lanka Army
* General Vikum Liyanage, RWP, RSP, USP, - 24th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army

## Chiefs of Staff

* Major General U.B.L. Fernando - 39th Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army
* Major General W.H.K.S Peiris - 63rd Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army
* Major General Chandana Wickramasinghe - 66th Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army

## Deputy Chiefs of Staff

* Major General S. T. T. (Sathis) Jayasundera - 8th Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army
* Major General K.A.S. Perera - 25th Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army
* Major General Nirmal Dharmaratne - 32nd Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army
* Major General Rasika Fernando - 33rd Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army
* Major General C.D Ranasinghe - 41st Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army
* Major General Chandana Wickramasinghe - 45st Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army

## Notable members

* Major General Vijaya Wimalaratne, RWP, RSP, VSP, USP † - Founder of the Gajaba Regiment.Commander Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna (SF HQ (J)).
* Lieutenant Colonel Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, RWP, RSP - 8th President of Sri Lanka
* General Kamal Gunaratne, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP, ndc, psc - Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defense and GOC 53rd division in Eelam war IV
* Major General Sumedha Perera, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP, ndc - Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation & Rural Development
* Major General Jagath Dias, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP, ndc - Adjutant General of Sri Lanka Army and GOC 57th division in Eelam war IV
* Major General Seevali Wanigasekara RWP, RSP VSV, USP, psc
* Major Shantha Wijesinghe † - commanded the defense of Kokkilai and gained the first Battlefield promotion in the army
* Warrant Officer I Dinesh Priyantha - Sri Lankan paralympic track and field athlete
* Sergeant Maheesh Theekshana - Sri Lanka National Cricketer
* Corporal Ranjith Premasiri Madalana † - Sri Lankan army sniper

## Order of precedence

| Preceded byGemunu Watch | Order of Precedence | Succeeded byVijayabahu Infantry Regiment |