Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary to the Ministry of
Defence, assumed duties as Secretary, Ministry of Defence,
Public Security, Law & Order on 25th November 2005.
Before this appointment, he was the Unix System Administrator
of Loyola Law School at Los Angeles, USA.
Hailing from the village of Weeraketiya
in the South of Sri Lanka, he had his education at the
respected educational institution, Ananda College, Colombo.
A career soldier, Mr. Rajapaksa joined the Sri Lanka
Army in 1971, spent twenty years in service and held
the appointment of Deputy Commandant of Sir John Kotelawala
Defence University in 1991. He was a Lieutenant Colonel
working as the Coordinating Officer of Welioya area
from 1990 to 1991. Prior to that, he was the Coordinating
Officer of Matale District and the Commanding Officer
of the 1st Battalion, the Gajaba Regiment from 1989
to 1990. He has also held numerous other positions in
the Sri Lanka Army such as Instructor, Adjutant and
Staff Officer to the Operations Officer commanding contingents.
During his military career, Mr.Gotabaya Rajapaksa has
been awarded the President's Commendation letter by
former President , J.R Jayawardena and medals for valour
in combat such as Rana Wickrama Padakkama and Rana Sura
Padakkama (on two occasions) – by former Presidents
R.Premadasa and D.B Wijetunga. He has also received
a commendation from the Commander of the Army for his
bravery in action. He has commanded many anti-terrorist
operations in the North and East in different capacities.
Among them was his Command of the 1st Battalion of the
Gajaba Regiment in the important Vadamarachchi Operation
in 1987 and Operation Thrividabalaya in 1990 respectively,
to rescue Jaffna Peninsula and the Jaffna Fort from
terrorist control. Hailing from the village of Weeraketiya
in the South of Sri Lanka, he had his education at the
reputed educational institution, Ananda College, Colombo.
He completed his basic officer cadet training at prestigious
Military Academy at Diyatalawa, and proceeded to Pakistan
to complete the Young Officer' Course at Rawalpindi
and later the Mid Career Course at Quetta, Pakistan.
He was also undergone advanced training in Counter Insurgency
and Jungle Warfare at Assam, India. Later in his career
, Mr. Rajapaksa graduated on Advanced Infantry Training
from Infantry School, Fort Benning , USA . As s staff
Officer , Mr. Rajapaksa completed his Staff Course at
the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, India
in 1983. He obtained his Masters Degree in Defence Studies
from the University of Madras in 1983. He has also obtained
a postgraduate Degree in Information Technology from
the University of Colombo in 1992.
Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his wife Ioma have one son;
he is brother the President of Sri Lanka H.E. Mahinda
Rajapaksa and the son of parliamentarian and former
Deputy Speaker of Parliament, the late Mr. D.A Rajapaksa.
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