Asoka Jayawardena

Major General Deshamanya Asoka Jayawardena RWP, RSP, VSV, USP

4th Governor of North Eastern Province
In office 13 November 1998 – 30 November 2004
Preceded by	Gamini Fonseka
Succeeded by	Tyronne Fernando
Personal details
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Spouse(s)	Srimathi (m. 1975; d. 2002)
Children	Two children
Alma mater	S. Thomas' College, Colombo
Military service
Allegiance	Sri Lanka
Service/branch	Sri Lanka Army
Years of service	19?? - 1998
Rank	Major General
Unit	Sri Lanka Light Infantry
Commands	Security Forces Commander in Jaffna Overall Operations Commander
Battles/wars	Sri Lankan Civil War

Major General Deshamanya Asoka Kanthilal Jayawardena, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, was Sri Lankan soldier and politician. He was the former Provincial Governor of the Governor of North Eastern Province and Secretary to the Minister of Defence.

Jayawardena was Overall Operations Commander (OOC) of the Sri Lanka Army. In 1997 he was succeeded by Lt. Gen. Srilal Weerasooriya. Jayawardena also served as Security Forces Commander in Jaffna.

Retiring from the Sri Lanka Army in 1998, Jayawardena was appointed as Governor of North Eastern Province. His predecessor Gamini Fonseka resigned from the office due to a difference of opinion with the President at the time. He is known to be a close confidante of the President Chandrika Kumaratunga, and he is believed to be one of her principal military advisors.

Jayawardena was the first governor of the province to visit the Jaffna peninsula after the establishment of the North Eastern Provincial Council.