New Navy Commander

Vice Admiral Tisara Samarasinghe having joined the Sri Lanka Navy in 1974 as an Officer Cadet won the “Sword of Honour” of the fourth intake at the Naval and Maritime Academy Trincomalee.

He also achieved the Best International Midshipman award at Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth UK in 1976 along with the prestigious appointment of Divisional Sub Lieutenant. Rear Admiral TSG Samarasinghe is a Specialist Navigator graduated from Navigation and Direction school INS Venduruthy India securing 1st place in order of merit.

He has held number of key appointments his sea commands include Short Patrol Craft, Long Patrol Craft, Fast Attack Craft (one of the first two Dovra Israel craft to join the SLN fleet in 1985), Fast Gun Boats, Surveillance Command Tender and Surveillance Command Ship (Then Flag Ship). He counts over seven years of sea time out of which over four and half years in command at sea.

He has commanded an operational shore base in the North and been Commandant and Training Commander of two premier training establishments in addition to holding key Staff and Deputy Director/ Director Appointments at Naval Headquarters.

Having served as the Deputy Area Commander of Northern and Eastern Naval Areas during operationally active periods and the Southern area, he was appointed Commander of Southern Naval Area in 2002.

He has the distinction of being the first Director General Services (2004) whilst concurrently holding the appointments of Director Naval Projects & Plans, the Naval Assistant to Commander of the Navy and Principal Staff Officer of the Joint Operations Headquarters under Chief of Defence Staff. He has led Naval Delegations to India, Russia, Israel and USA (1995-2006) on bilateral issues.

In addition to being a distinguished graduate of the Naval Staff College (Class 38) from Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island - USA in 1991, Rear Admiral is an award winning distinguished graduate from the prestigious National Defence College - New Delhi in 2005. (45th Course) His award winning thesis on “Strategy to Defeat Maritime Terrorism” at National Defence College - Delhi and seminar paper on Indo - Sri Lanka “Sustainable Cooperative Security Challenges and Options” at National Maritime Foundation - India are published documents.

He is a recipient of five commendation letters from four Commanders of the Navy (1977 to 2006).

He was also selected to be a member of Presidential and Prime Ministerial delegations on state visits to Libya (2009) and Indonesia (2006) respectively.

With the start of the humanitarian operations to liberate the East and North he was made the Acting Commander Northern Naval Area (Dec 2005), Director General Operations - NHQ (2006), Commander Eastern Naval Area (2007), Commander Northern Naval Area (2008).

During the period LTTE floating arms warehouses were destroyed, he was the Director General Operations and Commander Eastern Naval Area 2006 to 2008.

He was elevated to the post of Chief of Staff in May 2009.

He is a recipient of Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP) for gallantry at sea, Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya (VSV) in recognition of his devotion, dedication to the country with an unblemished career record and Uttama Seva Padakkama (USP) for meritorious and distinguished service.

He is an old boy of Royal College, Colombo (1960-1974).