Ravindra Wijegunaratne

Rear Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne, WV, RWP, RSP, USP, ndc, psc, MNI, SLN is a Sri Lankan admiral. He is the current Director General of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard and has served as the Commander four of the five Naval Commands of the Navy which are the Eastern, Northern, Western and Southern Naval Commands. Wijegunaratn had also served as Director Naval Operations and a recipient of the Weerodara Vibhushanaya

Education
Educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo, where he became a President's Scout. He joined the Sri Lanka Navy as an officer cadet in the executive branch. Upon successful completion of officer training as a Midshipman at the Naval and Maritime Academy and at the Britannia Royal Naval College he was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant. At Britannia Royal Naval College, he won the Best International Midshipman Award in 1982. Thereafter underwent the Sub Lieutenant Technical Course in India, specialized in anti-submarine warfare and later took the staff course at Pakistan Naval Staff College. In 1996 he gained a BSc (Hons) (War Studies) from the University of Karachi and later graduated from the National Defense University (NESA Centre) and National Defence College, India (50th NDC Course - 2010). In 2010 he did his MPhil in Defence and Strategic Studies at the University of Madras. He is a Member of the Nautical Institute.

Naval career
Wijegunaratne raised the elite Special Boat Squadron (SBS) the naval special forces unit of the Sri Lanka Navy, in 1993. He led the SBS in an amphibious operation during the Battle of Pooneryn in 1993 and has commanded the unit from 1993 to 1994 and 1999 to 2000. He is a qualified diver, undergone Commando training and parachute qualified. Wijegunaratne has led SBS in a number of operations against LTTE terrorists including Operation Pawan alongside MARCOS units and also led SBS in various training exercises with U.S. Navy SEALs and Marine Commandos (MARCOS) of the Indian Navy.

He has served as Commanding Officer of SLNS Sayura the flag ship of navy and from November 2001 to March 2005. He also served as First Secretary (Defence Adviser) of Sri Lankan High Commission in New Delhi. As First Secretary in Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi, his outstanding effort to coordinate Indian Military assistance to Sri Lanka during Tsunami disaster in December 2004 was highly appreciated by both the governments.

Promoted to the rank of Commodore he served as Director Naval Operations, Director Naval Weapon Systems, Director Special Forces, Director Maritime Surveillance and the Commandant of Naval and Maritime Academy. As Director Naval Operations in 2007, he played a major role in the anti arms smuggling operations that lead to the distraction of several LTTE gun running ships in the Indian Ocean. In 2009 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral, youngest Rear Admiral in the Sri Lanka Navy. Thereafter he served as Flag Officer Commanding Naval Fleet, Director General Services and went on to be Commander Southern, Western, Northern and Eastern Naval Areas.

Rear Admiral Wijegunaratne has been awarded the Weerodara Vibhushanaya the highest award for non-combat bravery and the gallantry medals Rana Wickrama Padakkama and Rana Sura Padakkama for individual acts of bravery in combat, the service medals Uttama Seva Padakkama and Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal.

A keen sportsman, he has represented the Sri Lanka Navy in Rugby Football, Sailing, Rowing and Musketry. He is a Sri Lanka Navy Coloursman in Rugby Football, Sailing and Rowing. He has also represented Britannia Royal Naval College in Hockey in 1982. He is the current President of National Rifle Association of Sri Lanka.

Family
He is married to Yamuna (Nee- De Saram) who was Miss Sri Lanka 1989, a model and a Tele Drama actress. They have one son, Satyajith.