Sarath Fonseka
|
Field Marshal Honourable Sarath Fonseka RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, MP, rcds, psc |
|
|---|---|
Fonseka in a Press Conference.
|
|
| Leader of the Democratic Party | |
|
In office 1 April 2013 – 30 April 2016 |
|
| Preceded by | Office Created |
| Succeeded by | Office Dissolved" |
| Minister of Regional Development | |
|
Assumed office 25 February 2016 |
|
| President | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Member of the Sri Lanka Parliament for National List |
|
|
Assumed office 9 February 2016 |
|
| Member of the Sri Lanka Parliament for Colombo District |
|
|
In office 22 April 2010 – 7 October 2010 |
|
| Chief of the Sri Lankan Defence Staff | |
|
In office 15 July 2009 – 30 November 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Donald Perera |
| Succeeded by | Roshan Goonetileke |
| Commander of the Sri Lanka Army | |
|
In office 6 December 2005 – 15 July 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Shantha Kottegoda |
| Succeeded by | Jagath Jayasuriya |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka 18 December 1950 Ambalangoda, Southern Province, Dominion of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Political party |
United National Party (2016 - Present ) Democratic Party (2013 - 2016) Democratic National Alliance (2010 - 2013) New Democratic Front (2009–2010) |
| Other political affiliations |
United National Front for Good Governance (2016 - Present) |
| Spouse(s) | Anoma Fonseka |
| Children | Aparna and Apsara |
| Alma mater | Madawalalanda Maha Vidyalaya, Ampara Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda Ananda College, Colombo |
| Occupation |
Politician Military Officer |
| Religion | Theravada Buddhism |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Sri Lanka |
| Service/branch | Sri Lanka Army |
| Years of service | 1970–2009, 2015–Present |
| Rank | Field Marshal |
| Unit | Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment |
| Commands | 18th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army |
| Battles/wars |
Sri Lankan Civil War, Insurrection 1987–89 |
| Awards | |
Field Marshal Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, MP, rcds, psc (Sarath Fonseka) (Sinhalese: ෆීල්ඩ් මාෂල් සරත් ෆොන්සේකා, Tamil: பீல்ட் மார்ஷல் சரத் பொன்சேகா, born 18 December 1950) is a Sri Lankan soldier and politician who was the first Sri Lankan Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. He was the eighteenth Commander of Sri Lankan Army, under his command Sri Lankan Army was able ended the 26-year Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009, defeating the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and he thereafter briefly served as the Chief of Defence Staff. After retiring from the Army with the rank of General, he entered politics as the common opposition candidate in the 2010 Presidential election contesting against President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Following his controversial defeat in the presidential election he was elected to Parliament in the general election that followed. Soon after he was made a political prisoner and lost his parliamentary seat. Fonseka supported Maithripala Sirisena in the 2015 Presidential election and following his victory, the newly appointed President Sirisena gave Fonseka a full pardon reinstating his civic rights, military rank and decorations. Later he was promoted to the newly created rank of Field Marshal on 22 March 2015. On 9 February 2016 he was appointed to Parliament and was appointed Cabinet Minister for Regional Development on 25 February 2016.
...
Wikipedia