Promotion for retired Army officer
View(s):Brigadier Harsha Gunaratne VSV who was prompted to the rank of Major General on the grounds of distinguished service rendered to the Sri Lanka Army was among a select group of retired army officers who were selected for promotions recently. Major General Gunaratne retired from the Army in 1985 after a distinguished career in active service.
His active operational career began in 1971 when he functioned as the officer commanding troops in Kegalle during the insurrection that year where he faced an attack by the insurgents at Gal Althara. During the Kantale Dam bust, in 1986, prompt disaster management operations were coordinated by him to restore normalcy.
Even after his retirement, Major General Gunaratne accepted an active field command post in Trincomalee. After retirement he was appointed as the Coordinating Secretary to the Minister of National Security Lalith Athulathmudali and subsequently served as the Chairman of the State Timber Corporation.
Major General Gunaratne received his secondary education at St. Peter’s College, Colombo and Royal College, Colombo and joined the Peradeniya University from where he graduated with a degree in History.