Rear Admiral Samantha Wimalathunge has been appointed as new Director General of Sri Lanka Coast Guard

Rear Admiral Samantha Wimalathunge has been appointed as the new Director General of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard with effect from 11th July 2015. His Letter of Appointment was handed over to him by the Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne at the Naval Headquarters on 06th August 2015.

Rear Admiral Wimalathunge joined the Sri Lanka Navy as a cadet officer of the 12th Intake in 1984 and successfully completed his basic training at the Naval and Maritime Academy, Trincomalee. Having specialized in navigation, he obtained an MSc (Defence Studies) in management from the Kotelawala Defence University and an MA in Strategic Security Studies from the National Defence College, Washington, USA. He has also followed the International Counter-terrorism Fellowship Programme, USA. Rear Admiral Wimalathunge has completed the National Security and War Course at the National Defence University at Islamabad in Pakistan and obtained an MSc in National Security and War.

Rear Admiral Wimalathunge has commanded many ships and craft of the Sri Lanka Navy and held a number of important appointments in his distinguished naval career both in the Naval Headquarters and other Naval Commands including that of Deputy Area Commander of the North Western and the Northern Naval Areas. Prior to the present appointment, he held the appointment of Director Logistics Management Cell at the Naval Headquarters.

In recognition of his distinguished service, Rear Admiral Wimalathunge has been awarded with Rana Wickrama Padakkama, Uttama Seva Padakkama and many other medals.

He is a past student of Elapitiwela Kanishta Vidyalaya, Gampaha and Nalanda College, Colombo.