Lieutenant Commander (N) AMMLB ABEYKOON

Lieutenant Commander (N) Moditha Abeykoon is a proud product of Kingswood College, Kandy, and joined the Sri Lanka Navy as an Undergraduate Officer Cadet to the 24th Intake of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University on 24^th September 2006. On completion of his studies in the Management and Technical Sciences (MTS) stream at the KDU, he underwent initial naval training at the Naval and Maritime Academy in Trincomalee.

He followed the Sub Lieutenant Technical Course in INS Venduruthy, India in 2012, and successfully completed his Junior Command Course at the Officers Study Centre of the Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa in 2014. He also specialized in Navigation from the premier Navigation and Direction school of the Indian Navy; INS Vendurthi in 2018. Further, He is also a graduate of KDU with a Bachelor of Science (Defence Studies) degree in Management and Technical Sciences. 

He has held several instructor, and command appointments during his 17-year naval career in the Sri Lanka Navy as well as the Sri Lanka Coast Guard. In addition to four years out at sea serving on board naval ships and craft, he has also performed duties at several shore establishments including the training institutions. He also served as the Flag Lieutenant to the Commander Northern Naval Area from 2013 – 2014. He was the Recruit Training Officer for the 219th and 220th Recruit Intakes at SLNS Vidura, Sampoor in 2014 and divisional Officer for the 223rd Recruit Intake at SLNS Nipuna, Boossa in 2015. During his career as the instructor, he performed as the Troop Commander to the Officer Cadets of the 33rd intake of Kotelawala Defence University from 2015 to 2017.  As he mobilized to the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, He was appointed as the Officer in Command of Coast Guard Station Oluvil and Chilaw.

Moreover, Lieutenant Commander Abeykoon held the appointment of the Additional Officer of SLNS Sagara and SLNS Uttara, Second in Command of P 421 and P 436, Officer in Command of P 424 and P 410, Navigating Officer on board the Sri Lanka Coast Guard Ship Suraksha in 2020.

Prior to becoming the Squadron Commander of intake 39, he held appointments as the OIC of the Merchant Marine Training School during his tenure at Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA) in 2021, besides the Officer in Command of P 437 and P 4445 in the elite 4th Fast Attack Flotilla.

In terms of sportsmanship, LCdr (N) Moditha Abeykoon is a well qualified Karate player and he is a Black Belt (1^st Dan) holder. He was the captain of the KDU Karate team in 2009, and represented the KDU in many all island and international level karate competitions through winning numerous events. In appreciation of the talents shown in those competitions, he has also been awarded with the KDU colours for Karate.

LCdr (N) Moditha Abeykoon has represented the Sri Lanka Navy Inter Command Drill Competition twice in the years 2017 and 2022 through the Naval Fleet Command of Sri Lanka Navy and in those two competitions, he excelled triumphs by winning the awards as the “Best Power of Command of the Sri Lanka Navy” in the year 2017 and 2022. Besides his achievements, he has acted as the Second in Command of the “Best Drill Marching Contingent of the Sri Lanka Navy in the 70^th Independence Ceremony” held in the year 2018. He has also received a Letter of Appreciation from the Commander of the Navy for his willing effort to produce a journal for the “Sri Lanka Navy Journal” in 2019.   

During his tour of duty, he has held the following important appointments:

• Command Appointments
• Officer in Command – P 424, P 410, P 437 and P 4445 (4^th Fast Attack Flotilla).
• Officer in Command – Coast Guard Station Oluvil.
• Officer in Command – Coast Guard Station Chilaw.
• Second in Command – P 421 and P 436 (4th Fast Attack Flotilla)

Staff Appointments

• Additional Officer – 4th Fast Attack Flotilla, SLNS Sagara, SLNS Uttara,
• Flag Lieutenant
• Navigating Officer – Sri Lanka Coast Guard Ship Suraksha.
• Officer in Charge – Merchant Marine Training School – Naval and Maritime

Instructor Appointments

• Additional Officer (Recruit Training Officer) Instructor – SLNS Vidura, Sampoor.
• Additional Officer (Divisional Officer) 223^rd Recruit Training Course – SLNS Nipuna, Boossa.
• Troop Commander – General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University
• Squadron Commander – General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University.

Medals and Insignia

In recognition of his valuable and unblemished service rendered to the Navy/ Country, he has awarded with following medals and insignia.

• 75^th Anniversary of Independence Medal
• Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal
• Sewabhimani Medal
• Service Medal
• 4^th Fast Attack Flotilla pin

• Bachelor of Science (Defence Studies) in Management and Technical Sciences (MTS) – General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka.
• Long Navigation Qualifying Course – INS Venduruthy – Kochi – India. 2018

Lieutenant Commander (N) Moditha Abeykoon has qualified in the following local and overseas courses:

• Sub Lieutenant Technical (Executive) Course – INS Venduruthy, India in 2012.
• Junior Command Course (JCC) – Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa in 2014.
• 2^nd Fast Attack Craft in Irregular Warfare Course – 4^th Fast Attack Flotilla in 2018.
• Long Navigation Qualifying Course – Navigation and Direction School – INS Venduruthy, Kochi, India in 2018.
• Disaster Prevention and Environmental Protection Course – Advance Training Centre, Sri Lanka Coast Guard in 2019.
• International Dual Use Investigation Course conducted by the United States of America – Department of Defence International Counterproliferation Program – Colombo in 2019
• Incident Command System (ICS) Course – Advance Training Centre, Sri Lanka Coast Guard in 2021.
• Training Design and Management Course – Naval Institute of Training Technology, INS Venduruthy, Kochi, India in 2022.

During his career of 17 years in the Sri Lanka Navy, LCdr (N) Moditha Abeykoon has attended for following seminars.

• International Rules and Standards for the Exercise of Maritime Law Enforcement Powers for the Officers of the Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Coast Guard held at Naval and Maritime Academy, Trincomalee in 2019.
• International Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) organized by the Indian Coast Guard in Goa, India in 2020.
• Tabletop Exercise on Combating Maritime Drug Trafficking, organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime held in Colombo in 2020.