Lieutenant General

Vikum Liyanage
විකුම් ලියනගේ

RWP, RSP, ndu
Liyanage at New Delhi in December 2023
Allegiance Sri Lanka
Service/branch Sri Lanka Army
Years of service1987 - present
Rank Lieutenant General
UnitGajaba Regiment
Commands heldCommander of the Army
Chief of Staff of the Army
21 Division
215 Brigade
623 Brigade
8 Gajaba Regiment
Battles/warsEelam War IV
Sri Lankan Civil War
Awards
Spouse(s)Janaki Liyanage
ChildrenA daughter and a son

Lieutenant General H.L.V.M. Liyanage, widely known as Vikum Liyanage, is a Sri Lanka Army General. He is the current Commander of the Sri Lanka Army serving from 1 June 2022.[1][2] Prior to become the army commander, he was the 59th Chief of Staff of the Army. On 1 June 2022, Liyanage assumed as the 24th Commander of Sri Lanka Army.[3] Earlier, he served as the Commandant, Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force as a Major General.[4]

Early life

Liyanage attended Vijaya College, Matale, where he was reported to excel in athletics and hockey, and was described as a bright student, earning accolades for his college.[5]

Military career

Liyanage joined the Sri Lanka Army as an officer cadet on 27 October 1986 in the Regular Intake – 26. He got cadet training in the Sri Lanka Military Academy and in the Officers Training School, Mangla, Pakistan in 19th course. After successful completion of training, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Gajaba Regiment in 23 July 1987.[6]

As a Major, he served as the second-in-command of the 10 Gajaba Regiment; in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he served as the commanding officer of 8 Gajaba Regiment. In the rank of full colonel, he served as the sector commander of Operations Command (Colombo), acting brigade commanders of 225 and 553 Infantry Brigades; as a Brigadier, he served as the brigade commanders of 215, 542, 224, 221 and 623 Infantry Brigades. As a Major General, he was the division commander of 21 Division and also the commanders of the Security Forces Headquarters - West and Security Forces Headquarters - Central and later he served as the commandant of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force.

He has also served as director - psychological operations, director (doctrine and training) and director (operations and systems) in the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff (OCDS) as a Colonel; adjutant - General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University as a Major, staff officer - 2 (admin) - regimental centre of the Gajaba Regiment and staff officer 2 - directorate of staff duties at the Army HQ (as a Major).

Personal life

Liyanage is a past pupil of Vijaya College, Matale.[7][6] He is married to Janaki and the couple is blessed with a daughter and a son.

Awards and decorations

He has received some of the highest awards in the Sri Lankan armed forces, which includes the Rana Wickrama Padakkama and the Rana Sura Padakkama.


References

  1. "Maj. Gen. Vikum Liyanage appointed as Army Commander". themorning.lk. 31 May 2022.
  2. "Sri Lanka : Major General Vikum Liyanage appointed as the new Sri Lanka Army Commander". www.colombopage.com. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
  3. "Major General Vikum Liyanage to be appointed as New Army Commander". NewsWire. 2022-05-26. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
  4. "Major General Vikum Liyanage Appointed New Army Chief of Staff". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 2021-12-07. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
  5. "Commander of the Army | Sri Lanka Army". www.army.lk. Retrieved 2023-12-02.
  6. 1 2 "New Army Commander Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage Assumes Duties". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 2022-06-01. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
  7. "Alma-Mater Felicitates Major General Vikum Liyanage". army.lk. Retrieved 2022-05-24.
  8. 75th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal
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