New Chief of Staff for SL Navy

President Ranil Wickremesinghe,  and Commander - in - Chief of the Armed Forces  appointed Rear Admiral Kanchana Banagoda as the 
Chief of Staff of Sri Lanka Navy with effect from 16th August 2024.

 The Commander of the 
Navy, Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera formally handed over the letter of appointment in this 
regard to Rear Admiral Banagoda at the Navy Headquarters on 26th August 2024 and expressed 
his best wishes, a Press release said. 

Rear Admiral Kanchana Banagoda is a distinguished old boy of S. Thomas' College, 
Bandarawela. He joined the Sri Lanka Navy in 1989 as an Officer Cadet of 19th intake, in the 
Executive branch. On successful completion of his basic training from the Naval and Maritime 
Academy, Trincomalee, he pursued the International Midshipmen Course at the Britannia Royal 
Naval College – Dartmouth UK, before being commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in 1991.
 The 
senior officer completed his Sub Lieutenant Technical Course at the Naval and Maritime 
Academy in 1993 and specialized in Anti-Submarine Warfare from Indian Naval Ship 
Venduruthy in 2000. Advancing steadily in his professional journey, the senior officer reached 
the rank of Rear Admiral on 04th May 2022.

He completed the Staff Course at the Defence Services Command and Staff College,
Bangladesh in 2009 and earned a Master of Business Administration degree in Human Resource 
Management from the Open University of Sri Lanka in 2015. Furthermore, he obtained a 
Master’s Degree in Maritime Policy from the University of Wollongong, Australia, in 2019 and 
attended the National Defence Course in National Security and Strategic Studies at the National 
Defence University, Colombo in 2021.
In recognition of his noble service rendered to the motherland, Rear Admiral Banagoda has been 
bestowed Rana Sura Padakkama for his gallantry. Moreover, he has also been awarded the 
Uththama Sewa Padakkama (USP), for his unblemished character and devotion to the duty.

Rear Admiral Banagoda has had the privilege of commanding various Fast Attack 
Craft, Ships and Establishments in the Sri Lanka Navy. Among some of the other appointments 
he held; Director Naval Training, Commander Southeastern Naval Area, Commander North 
Central Naval Area and Commander Northern Naval Area stood prominent. Prior to being 
appointed as Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy, he was discharging duties as Commander 
Eastern Naval Area. 
Rear Admiral  Banagoda is married to Mrs Anusha Banagoda and they are blessed 
with a daughter Amavi and a son Himeth.