Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage විකුම් ලියනගේ | |
---|---|
Allegiance | Sri Lanka |
Service/ | Sri Lanka Army |
Years of service | 1987–present |
Rank | Lieutenant General |
Unit | Gajaba Regiment |
Commands held |
Commander of the Army Chief of Staff of the Army 21 Division 215 Brigade 623 Brigade 8 Gajaba Regiment |
Battles/wars |
Eelam War IV Sri Lankan Civil War |
Awards | |
Spouse(s) | Janaki Liyanage |
Children | A 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]
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]
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).
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.
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.