Srilanka, Aug. 1 -- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has promoted Major General Nilantha Premaratne Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, to the rank of Lt.General and appointed him as the 26th Commander.

The letter of appointment was presented to Lt.Gen. Premaratne by Secretary to the President Dr.Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (31). Incumbent Commander General Lasantha Rodrigo retired from office yesterday (31).

An old boy of St Servatius' College, Matara, Lt Gen.Premaratne joined the Sri Lanka Army as an Officer Cadet in 1990. Upon successfully completing his basic military training at the Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa, in 1992, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and was subseq...