KDU Alumni Association
KDU Alumni Association
{I was enlisted at the then General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy in 1996 and graduated from KDA in the year 2000. Having got posted to the No 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron at Air Force Base, Hingurakgoda, which operated Mi-24 Attack Helicopters, I initially served as an Engineering Officer of the Squadron till the year 2003, when I served at all operational attachments of the Squadron in Air Force Station Palaly, Air Force Base Anuradapura, Air Force Base Vavuniya, Sri Lanka Navy Karainagar and Sri Lanka Army Detachments in Jaffna. In 2003, I was posted to the Sri Lanka Air Force Detachment, Purawasamkulam (located on the Vavuniya-Mannar Road) as the Mechanical Transport Officer. In 2004, I was transferred to the Air Force Base, Ratmalana as the Mechanical Transport Officer. In January 2006, I was posted again to No 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron at Air Force Base, Hingurakgoda, where I served as Deputy Officer Commanding Maintenance (DOCM) from 2008 to 2010 and from 2010 to 2012 as the Officer Commanding Maintenance (OCM). Soon after my tenure at the operational squadron, I was posted to Aero Engineering Support Wing (ASW) at Sri Lanka Air Force Base, Ratmalana as Officer Commanding Aeronautical Engineering (OCAE) from January 2012 to April 2014, which is the third-line maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility of propellers, piston engines, aircraft instruments, electrical and electronic components of aircraft, undercarriage systems and non-destructive testing (NDT). From April 2014 to December 2015, I served as the Quality Assurance Officer (QAO) of Sri Lanka Air Force Base, Ratmalana. I was appointed as the Quality Manager of Helitours (Pvt) Ltd of Sri Lanka Air Force from April 2014 to December 2015, which is the commercial air operation entity registered with the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL). We operated two MA-60 aircraft for domestic passenger transport operations. Subsequently, in January 2017, I was appointed as the Manager Engineering of Helitours (Pvt) Ltd, where I served till November 2018. In November 2018, I was transferred to the Ministry of Defence (MOD), where I served as Aide De Camp (ADC) to the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence until January 2020 and then I took over duties as the Staff Officer Technical to the Commander of the Air Force until being appointed as Director Media in November 2020. I am an aeronautical engineer by profession and an associate member of the Institute of Engineers, Sri Lanka. I have followed the Aeronautical Engineers Course (Electronics) at Air Force Technical College, Bangalore, India; Structural Health Monitoring Course at College of Aeronautical Engineering and Aircraft Accident Investigation Course, Institute of Air Safety, Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan as well as Junior and Senior Staff Courses in Sri Lanka. I was awarded the Utthama Seva Padakkama (USP) for my unblemished record and military conduct; the North and East Operations Medal; the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal; the 50th Independence Anniversary Medal; and the North and East Humanitarian Operational Medals. I am married and blessed with two children (one son and a daughter).}