The Gajaba Regiment (GR) is an elite

infantry regiment Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

of the Sri Lankan Army. Formed on 14 October 1983 at the

Saliyapura Camp Saliyapura Army Camp is a military base located in close to the ancient city of Anuradhapura, the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The camp was started out as the regimental headquarters of the Rajarata Rifles from state land. It serves as ...

Anuradhapura Anuradhapura ( si, අනුරාධපුරය, translit=Anurādhapuraya; ta, அனுராதபுரம், translit=Aṉurātapuram) is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central ...

, it is named after the famous

Sinhalese Sinhala may refer to: * Something of or related to the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka * Sinhalese people * Sinhala language, one of the three official languages used in Sri Lanka * Sinhala script, a writing system for the Sinhala language ** Sinha ...

warrior

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

Gajabahu the First. It consists of 14 regular battalions and 6

volunteer Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...

battalions. It is the parent regiment of

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Lieutenant Colonel Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa ( si, නන්දසේන ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ; ta, நந்தசேன கோட்டாபய ராஜபக்ஷ; born 20 June 1949) is a former Sri Lankan military ...

, the former

President of Sri Lanka The President of Sri Lanka ( si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා ජනාධිපති ''Śrī Laṃkā Janādhipathi''; ta, இலங்கை சனாதிபதி ''Ilankai janātipati'') is the head of state and head of government of t ...

History

The 1st battalion, Gajaba Regiment was formed on 14 October 1983 with the amalgamation of officers and men of the 1st

Rajarata Rifles The Rajarata Rifles was a former rifle regiment of the Sri Lanka Army. It was one of only three geographically based regiments in the Sri Lanka army. The cap badge of the Raja Rata Rifles show the figure of a ''Bherunda Pakshiya'' (Double-headed ...

and the 1st

Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment The Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Sri Lankan Army. Formed on 22 March 1988, it is named after Vijayabahu I of Polonnaruwa (King Vijayabahu, 1055 to 1110 AD). The regiment consists of 17 regular battalions, 9 volun ...

, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel

Vijaya Wimalaratne Major General Vanigamuni Indrajith Vijeyakumar Mendis Wimalaratne, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, psc, GR ( si, විජය විමලරත්න; 25 August 1940 – 8 August 1992) was a senior Sri Lanka Army officer. One of the most distinguish ...

at Saliyapura Camp with a strength of 36 officers and 752 other ranks. The 2/3 (

Volunteer Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...

) Rajarata Rifles was reconstituted as the 2nd (

) battalion, Gajaba Battalion at

Fort Fredrick Fort Fredrick ( ta, திருகோணமலை கோட்டை, translit=Tirukōṇamalai Kōṭṭai; si, ත්‍රිකුණාමලය බලකොටුව, translit=Thrinkunamalaya Balakotuwa), also known as Trincomalee Fort or ...

Trincomalee Trincomalee (; ta, திருகோணமலை, translit=Tirukōṇamalai; si, ත්‍රිකුණාමළය, translit= Trikuṇāmaḷaya), also known as Gokanna and Gokarna, is the administrative headquarters of the Trincomalee Dis ...

on the 14 October 1983 under the command of the Lieutenant Colonel W.R. Wijerathna. The Cap badge of the Gajaba Regiment was designed with a shield, two

Keteri The keteriya is a form of battle axe that was used in ancient Sri Lanka. A keteriya would consist of a single edge and a short handle made of wood, traditionally resembling a hatchet with a straight shaft. This would allow the user to wield it with ...

(

battle axe A battle axe (also battle-axe, battle ax, or battle-ax) is an axe specifically designed for combat. Battle axes were specialized versions of utility axes. Many were suitable for use in one hand, while others were larger and were deployed two-ha ...

s) and a Kandian

powder flask A powder flask is a small container for gunpowder, which was an essential part of shooting equipment with muzzle-loading guns, before pre-made paper cartridges became standard in the 19th century. They range from very elaborately decorated works o ...

. The newly formed regular infantry battalion was deployed for internal security duties in the Jaffna peninsula from 1983 to 1984 and again in 1985, where it sustained casualties in counter insurgency operations. With the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War and Sri Lanka Army expanded and to cope with the demand of operational needs multi battalion structure was introduced. A second regular infantry battalion was formed as the 3rd battalion in January 1986. Both regular battalions took part in the Vadamarachchi Operation in May 1987. With the start of the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection both regular and volunteer units of the regiment were deployed in the southern part of the island for counter insurgency operations. The regiment took part in all major offensives of the civil war and was involved in many major battles were the Gajaba units involved suffered over 80% casualty rates such as the 3rd battalion (149 killed and 115 missing) in the

Battle of Pooneryn The Battle of Pooneryn (LTTE code-named ''Operation Thavalai Paachchal (Frog Leap)''), was a battle between the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE or Tamil Tigers) and the Sri Lankan military during the Sri Lankan Civil War for ...

and the 8th battalion in the

Second Battle of Elephant Pass The Second Battle of Elephant Pass (code-named Operation Unceasing Waves III (ஓயாத அலைகள் மூன்று) by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), was a battle fought in April 2000 for the control of the Sri Lankan mi ...

. By the end of the Sri Lankan Civil War, the regiment had 27 battalions and had lost 3,500 officers and men who had been killed in action. The regiment was awarded President's colours by President

Mahinda Rajapakse Mahinda Rajapaksa ( si, මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ, ta, மஹிந்த ராஜபக்ஷ; born Percy Mahendra Rajapaksa; 18 November 1945) is a Sri Lankan politician. He served as the President of Sri Lanka from 2005 to ...

on 11 January 2007. In 2008 a detachment from the regiment was sent to take part in the

United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti ) , leader_title = Head , leader_name = Sandra Honoré (Special Representative of the Secretary-General) , status = Replaced by MINUJUSTH , formation = 1 June 2004 , websiteUN Peacekeeping: MINUSTAH

Sports

; Gajaba Supercross Since 1999, the Gajaba Regiment organizes the annual Gajaba Supercross in association with the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders. ; Gajaba Cricket In 2021 the regiment built the ''Gotabaya Rajapaksa Cricket Stadium'' commissioned

Thisara Perera Narangoda Liyanaarachchige Thisara Chirantha Perera ( si, තිසර පෙරේරා; born 3 April 1989), popularly as Thisara Perera, is a former Sri Lankan international cricketer who played all formats for the national team. He also cap ...

as an officer.

Units

Regular Army

*1st Gajaba Battalion *3rd Gajaba Battalion *6th Gajaba Battalion (formed on 17 May 1990 at Vavunia) *8th Gajaba Battalion *9th Gajaba Battalion *10th Gajaba Battalion *12th Gajaba Battalion *14th Gajaba Battalion *16th Gajaba Battalion *20th Gajaba Battalion *21st Gajaba Battalion *22nd Gajaba Battalion *23rd Gajaba Battalion *24th Gajaba Battalion *Gajaba HQ Battalion

Volunteers

*2nd(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 14 October 1983) *5th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 7 July 1989) *7th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 14 December 1990) *11th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 21 April 1994) *15th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 23 June 1997) *17th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 1 December 2001) *18th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 30 March 2008 and disbanded on 04 September 2018) *19th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 25 September 2008 and disbanded on 25 August 2018) *21st(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 25 March 2009 and disbanded on 07 April 2012) *25th(v) Gajaba Battalion (Formed on 10 November 2009 and disbanded on 29 February 2012)

Recipient of the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

K. W. T. Nissanka Second Lieutenant K. W. T. Nissanka PWV, GR was a Sri Lankan army officer who was the platoon commander of his platoon. He fought with courage in the face of an enemy attack, sacrificing his life so as to enable his troops of his platoon to wi ...

* Warrant Officer II H.B. Pasan Gunasekera *

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

P. N. Punsiri *

Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

W.M.I.S.B. Walisundara

Notable members

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

, RWP, RSP, VSP, USP - Founder of the Gajaba Regiment.Commander Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna (SF HQ (J)). *

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

, RWP, RSP - former

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

Kamal Gunaratne General G. D. H. Kamal Gunaratne, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP is a retired Sri Lankan military officer. He is the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and the State Ministry of National Security and Disaster Management. A retired career officer of ...

, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP, ndc, psc -

Permanent Secretary A permanent secretary (also known as a principal secretary) is the most senior Civil Service (United Kingdom), civil servant of a department or Ministry (government department), ministry charged with running the department or ministry's day-to-day ...

to the Ministry of Defense and GOC 53rd division in Eelam war IV *

Shavendra Silva General Shavendra Silva, WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP ( si, ශවේන්ද්‍ර සිල්වා, ta, ஷவேந்திர சில்வா) is a Sri Lanka Army officer. He is the Chief of Defence Staff and former Commander o ...

, WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndc, psc -

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

of the Sri Lankan Army and GOC 58th division in Eelam war IV *

Sumedha Perera, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP, ndc - Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation & Rural Development *

Jagath Dias Major General Jagath Dias, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP (born December 26, 1960) is a Sri Lankan general, who served as the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army. He was the General Officer Commanding, 57 Division and 56 Division. He was the Sri Lan ...

, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP, ndc -

Adjutant General An adjutant general is a military chief administrative officer. France In Revolutionary France, the was a senior staff officer, effectively an assistant to a general officer. It was a special position for lieutenant-colonels and colonels in staf ...

of Sri Lanka Army and GOC 57th division in Eelam war IV *

Seevali Wanigasekara RWP, RSP VSV, USP, psc *

Shantha Wijesinghe - commanded the defense of Kokkilai and gained the first Battlefield promotion in the army * Warrant Officer I Dinesh Priyantha - Sri Lankan paralympic track and field athlete *

Sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

Maheesh Theekshana Morawakage Maheesh Theekshana (born 1 August 2000) is a professional Sri Lankan cricketer who plays for the national team in all three formats of the game. He made his international debut for Sri Lanka in September 2021. His bowling action rese ...

- Sri Lanka National Cricketer *

Corporal Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non ...

Ranjith Premasiri Madalana - Sri Lankan army sniper

Order of precedence

References

External links and sources

Sri Lanka Army

Gajaba Regiment
{{Sri Lanka Army Regiments * Infantry regiments of the Sri Lankan Army Military units and formations established in 1983