# Gajaba Regiment > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gajaba_Regiment > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gajaba_Regiment.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gajaba_Regiment > Source revision: 1333368160 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Infobox military unit | unit_name = Gajaba Regiment | image = File:Gajaba Regiment cap badge.jpg | caption = Cap badge of the Gajaba Regiment | dates = 14 October 1983 – Present | country = [Sri Lanka](/source/Sri_Lanka) | branch = [Sri Lanka Army](/source/Sri_Lanka_Army) | type = Infantry | command_structure = | role = [Infantry warfare](/source/Infantry_warfare) | size = 13 regular battalions
4 volunteer battalion | current_commander = Brigadier Roshan Kalupahana RSP USP | current_commander_label = Centre Commandant | garrison = [Saliyapura Camp](/source/Saliyapura_Camp), [Anuradhapura](/source/Anuradhapura). | garrison_label = Regimental Centre | ceremonial_chief = | ceremonial_chief_label = | colonel_of_the_regiment = Major General UKDDP Udugama RWP RSP USP ndc psc | nickname = Keterians (Battle Axes) | motto = ‘Samagiya Shakthiyai' (Unity is Strength) | colors = Light green | identification_symbol = "GAJABA" shoulder tab | identification_symbol_label = | identification_symbol_2 = | march = | mascot = | battles = [Sri Lankan Civil War](/source/Sri_Lankan_civil_war)
[1987–1989 JVP insurrection](/source/1987%E2%80%931989_JVP_insurrection)
[United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti](/source/United_Nations_Stabilization_Mission_in_Haiti) | notable_commanders = Major General [Vijaya Wimalaratne](/source/Vijaya_Wimalaratne) | anniversaries = 14 October (Regimental day) | decorations = 4 [Parama Weera Vibhushanaya](/source/Parama_Weera_Vibhushanaya)
65 [Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya](/source/Weera_Wickrama_Vibhushanaya)
774 [Rana Wickrama Padakkama](/source/Rana_Wickrama_Padakkama)
3919 [Rana Sura Padakkama](/source/Rana_Sura_Padakkama) | website = https://alt.army.lk/gajabaregiment/ }} The '''Gajaba Regiment''' ('''GR''') is an elite [infantry regiment](/source/infantry_regiment) of the [Sri Lankan Army](/source/Sri_Lankan_Army). Formed on 14 October 1983 at the [Saliyapura Camp](/source/Saliyapura_Camp) in [Anuradhapura](/source/Anuradhapura), it is named after the famous [Sinhalese](/source/Sinhalese_people) [King](/source/King) [Gajabahu the First](/source/Gajabahu_I). It consists of 14 [regular](/source/regular_army) battalions and 6 [volunteer](/source/Sri_Lanka_Army_Volunteer_Force) battalions. ==History== The 1st battalion, Gajaba Regiment was formed on 14 October 1983 with the amalgamation of officers and men of the 1st [Rajarata Rifles](/source/Rajarata_Rifles) and the 1st [Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment](/source/Vijayabahu_Infantry_Regiment), under the command of Lieutenant Colonel [Vijaya Wimalaratne](/source/Vijaya_Wimalaratne) at Saliyapura Camp with a strength of 36 officers and 752 other ranks. The 2/3 ([Volunteer](/source/Sri_Lanka_Army_Volunteer_Force)) Rajarata Rifles was reconstituted as the 2nd ([Volunteer](/source/Sri_Lanka_Army_Volunteer_Force)) battalion, Gajaba Battalion at [Fort Fredrick](/source/Fort_Fredrick) in [Trincomalee](/source/Trincomalee) on the 14 October 1983 under the command of the Lieutenant Colonel W.R. Wijerathna. The Cap badge of the Gajaba Regiment was designed with a shield, two [Keteri](/source/Keteri) ([battle axe](/source/battle_axe)s) and a [Kandian](/source/Kingdom_of_Kandy) [powder flask](/source/powder_flask). The newly formed regular infantry battalion was deployed for internal security duties in the [Jaffna peninsula](/source/Jaffna_peninsula) from 1983 to 1984 and again in 1985, where it sustained casualties in counter-insurgency operations. With the escalation of the [Sri Lankan Civil War](/source/Sri_Lankan_civil_war) and Sri Lanka Army expanded and to cope with the demand of operational needs, a multi-battalion structure was introduced. A second regular infantry battalion was formed as the 3rd battalion in January 1986. Both regular battalions took part in the [Vadamarachchi Operation](/source/Vadamarachchi_Operation) in May 1987. With the start of the [1987–1989 JVP insurrection](/source/1987%E2%80%931989_JVP_insurrection), both regular and volunteer units of the regiment were deployed in the southern part of the island for counter-insurgency operations. The regiment took part in all major offensives of the civil war and was involved in many major battles were the Gajaba units involved suffered over 80% casualty rates such as the 3rd battalion (149 killed and 115 missing) in the [Battle of Pooneryn](/source/Battle_of_Pooneryn) and the 8th battalion in the [Second Battle of Elephant Pass](/source/Second_Battle_of_Elephant_Pass). By the end of the Sri Lankan Civil War, the regiment had 27 battalions and 3,500 of its officers and men had been killed in action.[http://www.army.lk/morenews.php?id=17872 Gajaba Regiment Silver Jubile]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The regiment was awarded [President's colours](/source/Military_colours%2C_standards_and_guidons) by President [Mahinda Rajapakse](/source/Mahinda_Rajapakse) on 11 January 2007. In 2008 a detachment from the regiment was sent to take part in the [United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti](/source/United_Nations_Stabilization_Mission_in_Haiti).{{Cite web |url=http://www.army.lk/detailed.php?NewsId=802 |title=Tenth UN Peace Keeping Contingent to Leave Soo |access-date=2009-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090626055701/http://www.army.lk/detailed.php?NewsId=802 |archive-date=2009-06-26 |url-status=dead }} == Sports == ; Gajaba Supercross Since 1999, the Gajaba Regiment organizes the annual Gajaba Supercross in association with the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders. ; Gajaba Cricket In 2021 the regiment built the ''Gotabaya Rajapaksa Cricket Stadium'' commissioned [Thisara Perera](/source/Thisara_Perera) as an officer. ==Units== {| class="wikitable " border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;font-size: 100%;" |- bgcolor=lavender ! No ! width=220px|Unit ! width=120px|Formed ! width=120px|Formed at ! width=120px|Disbanded ! width=120px|First commanding officer ! width=400px|Notes |- |1 ||1st Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||14 October 1983||Saliyapura Camp|| ||Lieutenant Colonel [Vijaya Wimalaratne](/source/Vijaya_Wimalaratne)||This Battalion was established amalgamating the 1st Rajarata Rifle battalion and 1st Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment |- |2 ||2nd (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||14 October 1983||Fort Fredrieck, Trincomalee|| ||Lieutenant Colonel W.R. Wijerathna ||Disbanded 2nd Rajarata Rifles was re-activated and re-designated as 2nd (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment. |- |3 ||3rd Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||12 January 1986|||||| Major S.T.T. Jayasundara|| |- |4 ||4th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||17 August 1987||Siddapura, Punani in Batticaloa District|| ||Lieutenant Colonel N. Rathnayake||Later converted to 3rd Mechanized Infantry Regiment. From 23 November 2022, 24th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment Re-designationed as 4th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment |- |5 ||5th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||3 March 1989||Colombo|||| Lieutenant Colonel P.C. Premachandra|| |- |6 ||6th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||17 May 1990||Saliyapura, Anuradhapura|| ||Lieutenant Colonel T.W. Jayawardana|| |- |7 ||7th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||14 December1990||Pankulam, Moravewa, Trincomalee District|| ||Lieutenant Colonel A.D.J.P. Suraweera|| |- |8 ||8th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||17 December 1992||Saliyapura Camp|| ||Major T.B. Moseth|| Later merged with 1st Gajaba Regiment on 4 June 2000 and later on 20 June 2001, the 8th Battalion Gajaba Regiment, was re- established at Saliyapura camp under Major H.R.N. Fernando. |- |9 ||9th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||8 March 1993|||| ||Lieutenant Colonel A.D. Subasinghe|| Later merged with 4th Gajaba Regiment on 1 June 2000 and later on 4 February 2004, the 9th Battalion Gajaba Regiment, was re- established at Saliyapura camp under Lieutenant Colonel G.S.B. Thenne. |- |10 ||10th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||7 January 1994||Saliyapura|| ||Major N.A.J.C. Dias|| |- |11 ||11th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||21 April 1994||Horowupothana||||Lieutenant Colonel H.H.L. DE Silva|| |- |12 ||12th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||8 October 2007|| || ||Lieutenant Colonel N.D.S.P. Niwnhella|| |- |13 ||14th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||27 December 1997|||| ||Major N.A. Dharmarathna|| |- |14 ||15th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||23 January 1997||Meegalewa Bongama|||| Major B. Ediriweera|| |- |15 ||16th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||22 October 2008||Illuppukadaweli Government School|| ||Major K.P.S.A. Fenando|| |- |16 ||17th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||1 December 2007||Horowpathana|| ||Major V.S. Kumarawansa|| |- |17 ||18th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||30 March 2008||||4 September 2018|||| |- |18 ||19th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||25 September 2008||||25 August 2018|||| |- |19 ||20th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||5 December 2008|||| ||Major R.M.A.B. Rathnayaka|| |- |20 ||21st (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||25 March 2009||||7 April 2012 |||| |- |21 ||22nd Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||3 July 2009||Saliyapura Anuradhapura ||||Lieutenant Colonel D.R.N. Hettiarachchi|| |- |22 ||23rd Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||18 August 2009|| Gajaba Regiment Center||20 July 2023 ||Lieutenant Colonel K.P.S.A. Fernando|| |- |23 ||24th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||18 October 2009||Saliyapura Anuradhapura||||Major D.U.N. Serasingha||From 23 November 2022 Re-designationed as 4th battalion the Gajaba Regiment |- |24 ||25th (V) Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||10 November 2009||||29 February 2012|||| |- |25 ||26th Battalion, Sri Lanka Gajaba Regiment||1 November 2009||Kalmadukulam||?? ||Lieutenant Colonel W M S N Eragoda|| |- |26 ||HQ Battalion of Gajaba Regiment||27 May 1993||||||Major D.J.I. Peramunu Gamage || |- |} ==Recipient of the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya== *[Lieutenant](/source/Lieutenant) [K. W. T. Nissanka](/source/K._W._T._Nissanka) {{KIA}} *[Warrant Officer II](/source/Warrant_Officer) [H.B. Pasan Gunasekera](/source/Pasan_Gunasekera) {{KIA}} *[Captain](/source/Captain) P. N. Punsiri {{KIA}} *[Major](/source/Major_(rank)) W.M.I.S.B. Walisundara {{KIA}} ==Commanders== *[General](/source/General) [Shavendra Silva](/source/Shavendra_Silva), [WWV](/source/Weera_Wickrama_Vibhushanaya), [RWP](/source/Rana_Wickrama_Padakkama), [RSP](/source/Rana_Sura_Padakkama), [VSV](/source/Vishista_Seva_Vibhushanaya), [USP](/source/Uttama_Seva_Padakkama), [ndc](/source/National_Defence_College_(India)), [psc](/source/Psc_(British_Army)) – 23rd [Commander of the Sri Lanka Army](/source/Commander_of_the_Sri_Lanka_Army) *[General](/source/General) [Vikum Liyanage](/source/Vikum_Liyanage), [RWP](/source/Rana_Wickrama_Padakkama), [RSP](/source/Rana_Sura_Padakkama), [USP](/source/Uttama_Seva_Padakkama), – 24th [Commander of the Sri Lanka Army](/source/Commander_of_the_Sri_Lanka_Army) ==Chiefs of Staff== *[Major General](/source/Major_General) U.B.L. Fernando – 39th [Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army](/source/Chief_of_Staff_of_the_Sri_Lanka_Army) *[Major General](/source/Major_General) W.H.K.S Peiris – 63rd [Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army](/source/Chief_of_Staff_of_the_Sri_Lanka_Army) *[Major General](/source/Major_General) Chandana Wickramasinghe – 66th [Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army](/source/Chief_of_Staff_of_the_Sri_Lanka_Army) ==Deputy Chiefs of Staff== *[Major General](/source/Major_General) S. T. T. (Sathis) Jayasundera – 8th [Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army](/source/Deputy_Chief_of_Staff_of_the_Sri_Lanka_Army) *[Major General](/source/Major_General) K.A.S. Perera – 25th [Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army](/source/Deputy_Chief_of_Staff_of_the_Sri_Lanka_Army) *[Major General](/source/Major_General) Nirmal Dharmaratne – 32nd [Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army](/source/Deputy_Chief_of_Staff_of_the_Sri_Lanka_Army) *[Major General](/source/Major_General) Rasika Fernando – 33rd [Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army](/source/Deputy_Chief_of_Staff_of_the_Sri_Lanka_Army) *[Major General](/source/Major_General) C.D Ranasinghe – 41st [Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army](/source/Deputy_Chief_of_Staff_of_the_Sri_Lanka_Army) *[Major General](/source/Major_General) Chandana Wickramasinghe – 45st [Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army](/source/Deputy_Chief_of_Staff_of_the_Sri_Lanka_Army) ==Notable members== *[Major General](/source/Major_General) [Vijaya Wimalaratne](/source/Vijaya_Wimalaratne), [RWP](/source/Rana_Wickrama_Padakkama), [RSP](/source/Rana_Sura_Padakkama), [VSP](/source/Videsha_Seva_Padakkama), [USP](/source/Uttama_Seva_Padakkama){{KIA}} – Founder of the Gajaba Regiment.Commander Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna (SF HQ (J)). *[Lieutenant Colonel](/source/Lieutenant_Colonel) [Gotabhaya Rajapaksa](/source/Gotabhaya_Rajapaksa), [RWP](/source/Rana_Wickrama_Padakkama), [RSP](/source/Rana_Sura_Padakkama) – 8th [President of Sri Lanka](/source/President_of_Sri_Lanka) *[General](/source/General) [Kamal Gunaratne](/source/Kamal_Gunaratne), [WWV](/source/Weera_Wickrama_Vibhushanaya), [RWP](/source/Rana_Wickrama_Padakkama), [RSP](/source/Rana_Sura_Padakkama), [USP](/source/Uttama_Seva_Padakkama), [ndc](/source/National_Defence_College_(India)), [psc](/source/psc_(British_Army)) – [Permanent Secretary](/source/Permanent_Secretary) to the Ministry of Defense and GOC 53rd division in Eelam war IV *[Major General](/source/Major_General) [Sumedha Perera](/source/Sumedha_Perera), [WWV](/source/Weera_Wickrama_Vibhushanaya), [RWP](/source/Rana_Wickrama_Padakkama), [RSP](/source/Rana_Sura_Padakkama), [USP](/source/Uttama_Seva_Padakkama), [ndc](/source/National_Defence_College_(India)) – Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation & Rural Development *[Major General](/source/Major_General) [Jagath Dias](/source/Jagath_Dias), [WWV](/source/Weera_Wickrama_Vibhushanaya), [RWP](/source/Rana_Wickrama_Padakkama), [RSP](/source/Rana_Sura_Padakkama), [USP](/source/Uttama_Seva_Padakkama), [ndc](/source/National_Defence_College_(India)) – [Adjutant General](/source/Adjutant_General) of Sri Lanka Army and GOC 57th division in Eelam war IV *[Major General](/source/Major_General) Seevali Wanigasekara [RWP](/source/Rana_Wickrama_Padakkama), [RSP](/source/Rana_Sura_Padakkama) [VSV](/source/Vishista_Seva_Vibhushanaya), [USP](/source/Uttama_Seva_Padakkama), [psc](/source/Psc_(British_Army)) *[Major](/source/Major_(rank)) Shantha Wijesinghe {{KIA}} – commanded the [defense of Kokkilai](/source/Kokkilai_offensive) and gained the first [Battlefield promotion](/source/Battlefield_promotion) in the army{{cite news |last1=Ferdinando |first1=Shamindra |title=Army loses hero of Kokilai battle |url=http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=83178 |access-date=10 April 2020 |publisher=Island}} *[Warrant Officer I](/source/Warrant_Officer) [Dinesh Priyantha](/source/Dinesh_Priyantha) – Sri Lankan paralympic track and field athlete *[Sergeant](/source/Sergeant) [Maheesh Theekshana](/source/Maheesh_Theekshana) – Sri Lanka National Cricketer *[Corporal](/source/Corporal) [Ranjith Premasiri Madalana](/source/Ranjith_Premasiri_Madalana) {{KIA}} – Sri Lankan army sniper ==Order of precedence== {{S-start}} {{order of precedence | before= [Gemunu Watch](/source/Gemunu_Watch) | title= [Order of Precedence](/source/Sri_Lanka_Army_Order_of_Precedence)| after= [Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment](/source/Vijayabahu_Infantry_Regiment) }} {{S-end}} ==See also== * [Sri Lanka Army](/source/Sri_Lanka_Army) ==References== ==External links and sources== * [http://www.army.lk Sri Lanka Army] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070516071549/http://www.army.lk/regiment_regular_07.php Gajaba Regiment] {{Military of Sri Lanka}} {{Sri Lanka Army Regiments}} * Category:Infantry regiments of the Sri Lanka Army Category:Military units and formations established in 1983 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gajaba Regiment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gajaba_Regiment) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gajaba_Regiment?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.