Major General Harendra Pieris of Gajaba Regiment has been appointed the Chief of Staff of Sri Lanka Army with effect from today (Dec.16).

Prior to his new appointment, Maj. Gen. Pieris has been serving as the Commander of the Security Forces - West.  

Born on June 06, 1969, Pieris was educated at St Anthony’s Boys School in Panadura and Thurstan College in Colombo.

He joined the Sri Lanka Army as an Officer Cadet on July 26, 1988 in the Intake 30. Upon successful completion of the basic military training at the Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa, he was commissioned in the rank of Second Lieutenant and was posted to the Gajaba Regiment (GR) which is an elegant Infantry Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army on June 09, 1990. After being steadily elevated to subsequent ranks in the course of the span of service in the Army, he was promoted to the rank of Major General on May 07, 2021.

Throughout his military career, he has served in Command, Staff, and Instructional appointments exemplifying his extraordinary capacities in respective appointments in the Sri Lanka Army. He has extensively pledged exceptional dedication towards assignments of combat duties during the humanitarian operation in the North and East of the country before May 2009.

His appointments include Platoon Commander, Officer Commanding, ADC to Major General S.T.T Jayasundara (Rtd), Adjutant - Army Training School, Operation and Training Company Commander, Security Officer at Base Ordnance Deport Maradana, General Staff Officer II - 21 Infantry Division, Second in Command - 3 GR, Staff Officer II - Quarter Master  General Branch, Staff Officer II - Directorate of Personal Administration, Staff Officer II - Transits Camp Anuradapura, Security Coordinator -Ministry of  Defence, Commanding Officer - 8 GR, Brigade Commander of 522 Infantry Brigade, Center Commandant - Regimental HQ, Director - Directorate of Movement, General Officer Commanding of 52 Infantry Division, Military Advisor - United Nations Headquarters New York, Commander, Security Force - West and Colonel Commandant of Military Intelligence Corps.

Maj. Gen. Peiris has followed many local and foreign courses, such as Platoon  Commander’s Tactics  Course, Battalion Support Weapon Course,  Basic Parachute Course, Air Mobile Course, Young Officer Course - India, Junior Command course - India, Capstone Exercise ‘Shanty Prayas’ - Nepal, Senior Command Course - India, Asia Pacific Centre For Security Studies Comprehensive Crisis Management Seminar - Honolulu - Hawaii and  Defence and Strategic Studies Programme in China.

The senior officer has been adorned with gallantry awards of ‘Rana Wickrama Padakkama’ (RWP) and ‘Rana Sura Padakkama’ (RSP) for his distinguished conduct in the face of the enemy and recipient of Videsha Seva Padakkama (VSV) in recognition of his distinguished service to the organization.

Maj. Gen. Peiris is also the Colonel Commandant of Military Intelligence Corps.