Name: Colonel Pradeep Ratnayake RSP USP psc M Def S BA (Def Std)
Profession: Commissioned Officer, Sri Lanka Army
Appointment: Dean – Faculty of Defence and Strategic Studies
Contact Details:
Mobile: 0094710219225
E-Mail: deanfdss@kdu.ac.lk
Colonel Pradeep Rathnayake is from The Gemunu Watch of Sri Lanka Army. After the studies at Eheliyagoda Central College (National School) , he Joined Sri Lanka Army as an Officer Cadet to General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy (KDA) on 17 October 1993. After completion of the basic military training at KDA and Sri Lanka Military Academy (SLMA), he was commissioned to the rank of Second Lieutenant on 21 Dec 1996 and posted to the Gemunu Watch, one of the premier Infantry Regiments of Sri Lanka Army and subsequently posted to 4th battalion the Gemunu Watch.
He took part in almost all the military operations conducted against LTTE in the North and East since 1997 to 2009. Then involved in Internal Security matters and disaster relief operations in the island, further, he has hold following important appointments in unit lines/regiment and formations.
Command Appointments
- Platoon Commander
- Rifle Company Commander
- Support Company Commander
- Company 2nd in Command in UN peace keeping mission in Haiti.
- Battalion Commander
Staff Appointments
- Battalion Adjutant – 4th Battalion the Gemunu Watch
- Staff officer 3 (Admin) – Regimental Centre, the Gemunu Watch
- General staff officer 2 – 52 Infantry Division
- General staff officer 2 – Security Force Head quarters (Jaffna)
- Regimental Adjutant – Regimental Centre, the Gemunu watch
- General Staff Officer 1 – Regimental Centre, the Gemunu Watch
- Academic Coordinator – National Defence College, Sri Lanka
Instructor Appointments
- Instructor at the Institute of Peace Support Operations, Sri Lanka. (IPSOTSL)
- Squadron Commander – Kotelawala Defence University.
- Instructor for the Special Leadership packages conducted to university students’/school prefects.
In recognition of his valuable and unblemished service rendered to the Army/ Country, he has awarded with following medals.
- Ranashoora Padakkama
- Uttama Seva Padakkama
- Poornabhoomi Padakkama
- North and East Operational Medal
- Riviresa Campaign Medal
- North Humanitarian Operational Medal
- East Humanitarian Operational Medal
- Sri Lanka Army 50th Anniversary Medal
- 50th Anniversary of Independence Medal
- Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal
- MINUSTAH Medal for the UN Mission
- Videsha Seva Medal
- Master in Defence Studies (M Def S) – University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.
- Defence Services Command and Staff Course (psc) – Defence Services Command and Staff College, Sri Lanka.
- Bachelor of Arts in Defence Studies- Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka.
- Reading for MSc in Disaster Risk Reduction and Development at Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka.
Colonel Pradeep Rathnayake has qualified in following local and overseas courses:
- Special operational Platoon Course (SOP) from Welioya – Sri Lanka in 1997.
- Battalion Support Weapon Course (BSW) from Infantry Training Centre – Sri Lanka in 1998.
- Unit Account Officer’s Course from Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps – Sri Lanka in 1999.
- Unit Admin Officers’ Course from Logistic Command – Sri Lanka in 2003.
- Young Officers’ Course from Infantry School – India in 2004.
- Pre deployment Course for UN Peace Keeping missions – Institute of Peace Support Operations Sri Lanka in 2005.
- GIS Course from University of Moratuwa – Sri Lanka in 2008.
- Junior Command Course – War College, MHOW, India in 2009.
- Potential Observer and Staff Officer’s Course (POSOC), Sri Lanka in 2009.
- Managing Defence in Wider Security Context Course-DSCSC, Sri Lanka in 2016.
- United Nations Staff Officer Course (UNSOC 2) of Peace Support Operations Sri Lanka in 2020.
During his career of 26 years, Colonel Pradeep Ratnayake has attended for following seminars.
- IHL Seminar for Senior Officers at DSCSC in Dec 2007.
- International Symposium of Kotelawala Defence University in 2011.
- International Symposium of Kotelawala Defence University in 2012.
- International Symposium of Kotelawala Defence University on “Sir Lanka as a Hub in Asia: The Way Forward” conducted in 2013.
- International Research Conferrence of Kotelawala Defence University on “Expanding Development Horizons through Education, Research and Innovation” in 2014.
- Seminar on “Empowering Leadership through Diverse Knowledge” conducted by Officer Career Development Centre, Sri Lanka in Dec 2016.
- Workshop on “Art of Effective Communication” conducted by Security Force Headquarters in Dec 2016.
- Seminar on “Security in the Indian Ocean, Traditional and Non Traditional Threats in the region” in Feb 2017.
- Colombo Defence Seminar on “Countering Violent Extremism: Global Trends” in 2017.
- International Research Conference on “Changing Dynamics in the Global Environment: Challenges and Opportunities” conducted by Kotelawala Defence University in Aug 2017.
- Planning Conference of Indo- Lanka joint military exercise, Mitra Shakti held in India from 31 July 2019 to 02 Aug 2019.
- Seminar “Colombo Conclave “organized by Institute of National Security Studies (INSS) on 26 Nov 2031 at the Water’s Edge – Colombo
- Seminar on “A shared Vision for the Indo- Pacific” on 31 March 2022 at the Cinnamon Grand – Colombo.
The seminars/ workshops on Leadership conducted by Colonel Pradeep Ratnayake are as follows:
- Leadership seminar for the perfects of R/ Eheliyagoda Darmapala Vidyalaya in 2011 and 2012.
- Leadership workshop for the university students at Panagoda in 2011 and 2012.
- Guest Speaker of Leadership programme for the prefects of Cambridge International School, Colombo15 in 2014.
- Instructor and Chief Coordinator for the Outbound Leadership Training Programme conducted at the Nonpareil Estate Belihuloya for the Prefects’ Guild of Ananda College, Colombo in 2013.
- Resource person for the pre-training workshop on Leadership and Personality Development conducted for the newly recruited Advance Level Students of C.W.W. Kannangara Central College, Mathugama.
- Resource person for the seminar on Sri Lanka’s way to Independence conducted for the Officers and Other Ranks of 552 Brigade Muhamale in 2017.
The areas of interest of the Senior Officer are as follows.
- Research on “China – South Asia defence relations in new world order” in 2007.
- Interest on “International Relations” and “History”.
- Instructor in Leadership, Method of Instructions, Peace Keeping Missions and Land Warfare.