New Defence Secretary assumes duties

Major General (Retd) G. D. H Kamal Gunaratne assumed duties today as the new Defence Secretary at the Ministry of Defence amid military honours and greetings.

Chief of Defence Staff, Tri Service Commanders, acting Inspector General of Police, Director General Civil Defence Force and a representative gathering of all Defence Ministry establishments were present at the ceremony.

The formal military ceremony in the Ministry premises commenced soon after he was greeted in a drive-past Guard Turnout at the entrance.

Major General (retd) Kamal Gunaratne was enlisted to the Army on 31 August 1981 and received commission as a 2nd Lieutenant on 4 December 1982.

He began his career as a Platoon Commander and served as an Officer Commanding, Staff Officer 11, General Staff Officer 1, Commandant Infantry Training Centre, Staff Officer at Joint Operations HQ, General Officer Commanding, 55 Division, 53 Division, Commander, Security Forces-Wanni, Centre Commandant, Gajaba Regiment HQ, Colonel of the Regiment, Gajaba Regiment HQ, Colonel of the Mechanized Infantry Regiment and many other appointments in the North, Wanni and elsewhere. He was the Master General Ordnance at the Army Headquarters from 16 February 2015 to 4 September 2016 until he retired from service. He also served as the Deputy Ambassador for Brazil in early 2000.

Major General (Retd) Gunaratne actively contributed to the war from 2008 – 2009 and other military operations prior to that, including the Vadamarachchi Operation, Operation Riviresa and Operation Jayasikurui.

He has also authored a few books on his past experiences in the battlefield, named ?Road to Nandikadal? and the biography, ?Gotabaya?.