Senior Directing Staff (SL Navy)

Commodore SP Kathriarachchi RWP, RSP**, USP, psc, MSc (Mgt), BSc (DS) in MTS (Hons), LLB, Dip in (D & WA)
Senior Directing Staff (SL Navy)

Commodore Sanjeewa Prasanna Kathriarachchi, NRX0953, joined the Sri Lanka Navy on 01^st October 1995 through the Kotelawala Defence University (KDU). On completion of his training at KDU, he underwent initial Naval training at the Naval and Maritime Academy in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. He is specialized in Naval Gunnery.

He has held a number of staff and sea command appointments during his 29 yearlong illustrious naval career. He has commanded eight Fast Attack Craft, a Fast Gun Boat (FGB), and was the Executive Officer of the flag ship SLNS Sayura. He has also performed duties as an Officer Instructor/Gunnery Officer Instructor at the Naval and Maritime Academy, as the Senior Naval Coordinator at the Media Centre for National Security, Senior Staff Officer (Training & Doctrine) at the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff, Research Advisor (Navy) at the Institute of National Security Studies of Sri Lanka; the premier National Security think tank under the Ministry of Defence,

He completed his Sub Lieutenant’s Technical Course in Sri Lanka and completed his specialization (Gunnery) in Pakistan. He was rated as “Excellent Student” both in the Naval Command and Staff Course at the Naval Command College, Nanjing, China in 2010/11, and obtaining the highest aggregate (over 93%) in his class in Naval Gun Maintenance Engineering Course at the prestigious Naval University of Engineering in Wuhan, China as well for overall performances in academic and extra-curricular activities in 2012/13.

He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from the Sir John Kotelawala Defence University with a second-class upper division (Hons) where he was awarded with 3 academic awards including the President’s Award for being the first in order of merit in Management and Technical Science stream and was also awarded the best officer for Leadership & Management Qualities of Intake 13 KDU.

He holds a Master’s Degree (Defence Studies) in Management from the Sir John Kotelawala Defence University of Sri Lanka. After obtaining his LLB from the Open University of Sri Lanka he enrolled to the Sri Lanka Law College where he is reading for his Attorney at Law as a final year student. He successfully completed Defence and Strategic Studies at the International College of Defence Studies at the National Defence University of PLA in Beijing, PRC. He is also reading for Masters in Conflict & Peace Studies at the University of Colombo.

Commodore Sanjeewa Kathriarachchi was awarded with four gallantry medals (Rana Wickrama Padakkama and Rana Sura Padakkama & 2 bars) for acts of exceptional chivalry and bravery in the face of enemy. He has also been awarded with Uththama Sewa Padakkama for his unblemished service along with many other campaign medals.

He has a great passion for Cricket, Table Tennis and Musketry. He frequently presents articles to various Journals/Periodicals and Magazines published in the Navy. He is virtuous in diplomatic and negotiation skills and was the Sri Lanka minister Counsellor (Defence) to Australia at the SLHC in Canberra from 25th February 2022 to 10th April 2024 where he was also accredited to New Zealand. At present he is appointed as the Senior Directing Staff (Navy) at the National Defence College, Sri Lanka.

He is married and blessed with a daughter.