Chief Field Engineer

Major General Lanka Amarapala was born in Colombo on 23 June 1970. He studied at Dharmapala Junior/Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya from 1977 to 1989 and excelled in sports such as cricket, athletics, swimming and karate. He was enlisted to the Sri Lanka Army on 20 January 1989 as an Officer Cadet. On completion of military training at Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.

Major General Lanka Amarapala first held the appointment as a Platoon Commander in 1st Battalion of the Gajaba Infantry Regiment and was deployed in Counter Terrorist Operations in the North and East of Sri Lanka. Thereafter, he joined the Corps of Sri Lanka Engineers. As an Infantry and Combat Engineer Officer, he participated in the majority of the military operations conducted in Sri Lanka, holding different responsibilities in various appointments and ranks. He has a long service experience in the fields of Counter Terrorist Operations and Counter Insurgency Operations. Major General Lanka Amarapala commanded the 10th Field Engineer Regiment in an infantry role for two years, 2009 and 2010 in Jaffna, and the 6th Field Engineer Regiment in Kilinochchi and Wanni during the post-war nation building phase. Thereafter, he was appointed as a Directing Staff at the most prestigious Command and Staff College in Sri Lanka.

He also had the opportunity to serve for the United Nations twice, first as a Contingent Commander in the United Nations Mission in Haiti in 2008 and then as the Deputy Senior Military Liaison Officer in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan from 2014 to 2016.

Among his major career achievements, Major General Lanka Amarapala has held the following esteemed appointments:

• Officer Instructor at the prestigious Sri Lanka Military Academy from 1995 - 1996.
• Aide De Camp (ADC) to Late Major General Janaka Perera the General Officer Commanding – 53 Division (Reserve Strike Force), Overall Operations Commander - North and the Chief of Staff of Sri Lanka Army from 1996 to 2000.
• Squadron Commander – 5th Field Engineer Regiment, Jaffna from 2001 to 2003.
• Company Commander at the Sri Lanka Military Academy from 2004 to 2006.
• Adjutant - Defence University in 2007.
• General Staff Officer I (Operations) Task Force 2, Offensive Division raised during Humanitarian Operation in 2008.
• Contingent Commander - Tri Forces Contingent in UN Peacekeeping in Haiti (MINUSTA) in 2008.
• Commanding Officer - 10th Field Engineer Regiment in 2009/2010 (Infantry Role).
• Commanding Officer - 6th Field Engineer Regiment in 2010/2011.
• Directing Staff - Defence Services Command and Staff College from 2011 to 2013.
• Commandant -Sri Lanka School of Military Engineering 2013/2014.
• Deputy Senior Military Liaison Officer in UN - South Sudan from 2014 - 2016 (UNMISS).
• Deputy Centre Commandant - Corps of Sri Lanka Engineers in 2016/2017.
• Centre Commandant (Overlooking) – Crops of Sri Lanka Engineer in 2017.
• Brigade Commander - Infantry Brigades 593 and 122 from 2018 to 2020.
• Director - Psychological Operations of Sri Lanka Army 2021/2022.
• General Officer Commanding - 12 Infantry Division in year 2022.
• Commander - Sri Lanka Army Engineer Division from 2022 to 2023

The Senior Officer has successfully followed the undermentioned local and overseas courses in different stages during his illustrious military career.

Local

• Regimental Signal Officer Course.
• Basic Intelligence and Security Officer Course.
• Basic / Advance Marksmanship Course.
• Marksmanship Coaches Course.
• Parachute Course.
• Humanitarian Mine Action Basic Management Course Conducted by US Army.
• International Humanitarian Law and Human Right Course.
• Air Assault Course Conducted by US Special Forces.
• Explosive Ordnance Disposal Level - II Course Conducted by US Army.
• Defence Service Command and Staff Course.

Overseas

• Basic Engineering Course – Pakistan.
• South Asian Peacekeeping Operations Multi Platoon Training Exercise - Nepal.
• Humanitarian De- Mining Course – Pakistan.
• Engineer Officers Combat Engineering Instructors Course – India.
• Bomb Disposal / Improvised Explosive Devices – India.
• Peacekeeping Staff Planning Exercise Conducted by US Pacific Command – Malaysia.
• Dialogue, Negotiation and Mediation Course – Kenya.
• Masters of National Security Administration Course (NDC) – Philippines.

Major General Amarapala holds a Master’s Degree in National Security Administration (MNSA) from the National Defence College of the Philippines and a Master’s Degree in Defence Studies (Management) from Defence University-Sri Lanka. He has successfully followed the Command & Staff College Course (psc), holds a National Diploma in Human Resource Management from the Institute of Personnel Management (SL), and holds Post Graduate Diplomas in International Relations (PGD in IR) from the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (SL), and Managing Olympic Sport Organizations (MOSO) from the National Olympic Committee (SL). He is recognized as a Senior Certified Professional by the International Public Management Association for Human Resources in the USA (IPMA-SCP). He is also a member of the Sri Lanka Institute of Training and Development (SLITAD).

Major General Lanka Amarapala is the first ever Sri Lankan to secure prestigious academic excellence in the National Defence College of the Philippines, bagging two medals (Gold & Bronze). He was awarded both the Gold Medal for the Best Thesis and the Bronze Medal for Academic Excellence in the Masters’ Course (National Security Administration Regular Course-56 2020/2021). Apart from that, having considered the recognition of his outstanding achievements in the fields of national security, development and performance, Major General Lanka Amarapala was awarded the Outstanding Alumnus Award for 2022 by the National Defence College of the Philippines and NDCP Alumni Association Inc.

Major General Amarapala was a keen sportsman who had won Army colours for Practical Pistol Shooting and Regimental colours for Badminton, Golf, Squash and Practical Pistol Shooting too. He was the Vice Chairman of the Army Gymnastic Committee in 2016/2017 and the Chairman from 2018 to 2020.

For his bravery demonstrated in the face of the enemy during Counter Terrorist Operations against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), he was awarded the RANA WICKRAMA and RANA SURA GALLANTRY MEDALS. He has also received United Nations, Foreign Service, and almost all military campaign and service medals.

He is married to Surangi, blessed with a daughter and a son, Tanuli and Virul.