Gajaba Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Gajaba Regiment was formed when 1st Battalion the Rajarata Rifles
Rajarata Rifles
The Rajarata Rifles was a former rifle regiment of the Sri Lanka Army. The regiment saw action in the 1971 JVP Insurrection and the Sri Lankan Civil War before it was amalgamated with the 1st Battalion of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment in 1983 to form the Gajaba Regiment. Raised along with Ruhunu...

 and 1st Battalion the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
The king Vijayabahu was the one of the greatest rulers who ruled Sri Lanka from 1055 AD to 1110 AD. His heroic action is very popular among the Sri Lankans. Our Regiment is privilege to name as the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment to give the honour and respect to this great king...

 were amalgamated in 1983 to counter the threat from the LTTE. It is made up of six regular battalions and five volunteer battalions. Headquartered at Saliyapura Camp, Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...

. It is named after a Sri Lankan famous warrior King
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...

 Gajabahu the First
Gajabahu I
Gajabahu I , also known as Gajabahuka Gamani was a Sinhalese king of Rajarata in Sri Lanka. He is renowned for his religious benefactions, extensive involvement in south Indian politics, and for possibly introducing the cult of the goddess Pattini to Sri Lanka...

.

History

The 1st battalion of the Regiment was formed on 14 October 1983 with the amalgamation of the Rajarata Rifles
Rajarata Rifles
The Rajarata Rifles was a former rifle regiment of the Sri Lanka Army. The regiment saw action in the 1971 JVP Insurrection and the Sri Lankan Civil War before it was amalgamated with the 1st Battalion of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment in 1983 to form the Gajaba Regiment. Raised along with Ruhunu...

 and Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
The king Vijayabahu was the one of the greatest rulers who ruled Sri Lanka from 1055 AD to 1110 AD. His heroic action is very popular among the Sri Lankans. Our Regiment is privilege to name as the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment to give the honour and respect to this great king...

, under the command of Lt. Col. (later Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...

) Vijaya Wimalaratne
Vijaya Wimalaratne
Major General Vijaya Wimalaratne RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, psc, GR was a Sri Lankan army officer and one of the most distinguished generals in Sri Lanka.-Education:...

 at Saliyapura Camp. The Cap badge of the Gajaba Regiment is designed with a shield, two Keteri (battle axe
Battle axe
A battle axe is an axe specifically designed for combat. Battle axes were specialized versions of utility axes...

s) and a Kandian powder flask. The regiment rapidly expanded due to the Sri Lankan Civil War
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...

, during which 3,500 officers and men of the regiment were killed.

The regiment was awarded President's Colours by H.E. 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
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
The United Nations Stabilisation Mission In Haiti , also known as MINUSTAH, an acronym of the French translation, is a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti that has been in operation since 2004. The mission's military component is led by the Brazilian Army and the force commander is...

.

Regular Army

  • 1st Gajaba Battalion
  • 3rd Gajaba Battalion
  • 6th Gajaba Battalion
  • 8th Gajaba Battalion
  • 9th Gajaba Battalion
  • 10th Gajaba Battalion
  • 12th Gajaba Battalion
  • 14th Gajaba Battalion
  • 20th Gajaba Battalion
  • 21st Gajaba Battalion
  • 22nd Gajaba Battalion

Volunteers

  • 2nd(v) Gajaba Battalion
  • 5th(v) Gajaba Battalion
  • 7th(v) Gajaba Battalion
  • 11th(v) Gajaba Battalion
  • 15th(v) Gajaba Battalion

Recipient of the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya

  • Major
    Major
    Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...

     Nalin de Silva
    Nalin de Silva
    Nalin de Silva is a Sri Lankan theoretical physicist, philosopher and a political analyst. He is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics and the Dean of the faculty of Science at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.Prof...

  • Second Lieutenant
    Second Lieutenant
    Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...

     K. W. T. Nissanka
    K. W. T. Nissanka
    Second Lieutenant K. W. T. Nissanka PWV, GR was a Sri Lankan army officer who was the platoon commander of his platoon. He fought with courage in the face of an enemy attack, sacrificing his life so as to enable his troops of his platoon to withdraw with their injured. He was awarded the Parama...

     
  • Warrant Officer 2nd Class H.B. Pasan Gunasekera
    Pasan Gunasekera
    Warrant Officer Class 2 H.B. Pasan Gunasekera PWV, WWV, RSP, GR was a non-commissioned officer in the Sri Lanka Army who was posthumously promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2 from Staff Sergeant, and awarded the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya medal, the Sri Lanka's highest military...

     

Notable members

  • Major General
    Major General
    Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...

     Vijaya Wimalaratne
    Vijaya Wimalaratne
    Major General Vijaya Wimalaratne RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, psc, GR was a Sri Lankan army officer and one of the most distinguished generals in Sri Lanka.-Education:...

    , RWP, RSP
    RSP
    -Music:* RSP , a Japanese hip-hop and R&B group* Rubber Soul Project, a Serbian rock music band-Computers and technology:* Remote Serial Port, an extension to the Telnet protocol* Reality signal processor, a component of the Nintendo 64...

    , VSP
    VSP
    VSP is a three letter acronym for:*Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians, a noise warning system for electric vehicles developed by Nissan*Vertical seismic profile *V. S...

    , USP
    Uttama Seva Padakkama
    The Uttama Seva Padakkama is presented to all ranks of the Regular Forces of the Sri Lankan military for valuable service and dedication to duty with the outstanding ability, merit and excellent conduct, given that they count not less than 15 years continuous and uninterrupted service and possess...

    , GR - Commander Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna (SF HQ (J)) & One of the greatest generals in modern Sri Lanka
  • Major General
    Major General
    Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...

     Shavendra Silva
    Shavendra Silva
    Major General Shavendra Silva, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP, psc, CR is a Sri Lankan general and diplomat. The current Sri Lankan Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, he was the former Director of Operations, Sri Lanka Army and the General Officer Commanding, 58 Division during...

    , GR - GOC 58th division in Eelam war IV & the Director General Operations of the Sri Lanka Army
  • Major General
    Major General
    Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...

     Jagath Dias, GR - GOC 57th division in Eelam war IV & currently the deputy ambassador of Sri Lanka to Germany
  • Major General
    Major General
    Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...

     Kamal Gunerathna, GR - GOC 53rd division in Eelam war IV & currently commander of Security Forces Headquarters-Wanni
  • Lieutenant Colonel
    Lieutenant colonel
    Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...

     Gotabhaya Rajapaksa
    Gotabhaya Rajapaksa
    Lieutenant Colonel Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa, RWP, RSP, psc, GR is a retired officer of the Sri Lanka Army and the current Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka. After serving through the early parts of the country's civil war with Tamil Tiger rebels, he retired from the Army in 1992...

    , RWP, RSP
    RSP
    -Music:* RSP , a Japanese hip-hop and R&B group* Rubber Soul Project, a Serbian rock music band-Computers and technology:* Remote Serial Port, an extension to the Telnet protocol* Reality signal processor, a component of the Nintendo 64...

    , GR - Permanent Secretary
    Permanent Secretary
    The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...

     Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order
    Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka)
    The Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order is the Sri Lankan government ministry responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces....


Order of precedence

External links and sources

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