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46-588: Diyatalawa had been the traditional training grounds for the Ceylon Defence Force . When the Ceylon Army was raised in 1949, the need arose to recruit and train officers and soldiers of the newly formed regular army. The first batch of ten Officer Cadets were enlisted to the Army on the 10 October 1949 and were dispatched to Royal Military Academy Sandhurst . The Army Recruit Training Depot (ARTD)

92-512: A company . The commissioning course is split up into three terms, each lasting fourteen weeks, and on each course, cadets are put into one of four companies. There can be as many as several companies within the SLMA at any one time, each commanded by a Major and named after a famous battle in Sri Lankan history. The SLMA orgernization is as follows: The President's and ATC colours presented to

138-700: A contingent of Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps, took part in the Second Boer War in South Africa. Their services were recognised by presentation, in 1902, of a colour to the Ceylon Mounted Infantry, and a presentation in 1904, of a Banner to the Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps. Although there were Ceylonese officers much of the officer corps was made up of British officers and the other ranks were mostly Ceylonese with

184-967: A permanent basis. In 1939, when the Second World War began, the Ceylon Defence Force was mobilised and expanded to fortify Ceylon to meet a possible threat posed by the Japanese. CDF came direct command of the South East Asia Command (SEAC) and formed part of the British 11th Army Group . It was sometimes referred to as the British Army in Ceylon or Ceylon Army Command during this time. South East Asia Command under Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten had its headquarters located at Kandy , Ceylon. Troops from

230-539: A uniform when in attendance. Scholarships are awarded for children from Ranaviru (Veternat) families and police. Academic work is conducted under the direction of the Board of Studies and Board of Management by the Director of Academic Studies. There are eight academic departments. Each department consist of a Head of the department, internal/visiting staff, and the library. Following institutions have been accredited to

276-715: Is administered by the Ministry of Defense . The General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy was established in 1980 by the Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy Act, No. 68 of 1981 as the joint defence service training institute of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces , where cadets of the three services, Sri Lanka Army , Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force undergo academic training together before they go on to respective service academy for further pre-commission training. It

322-809: Is governed by a Board of Management consisting of the Secretary of the Defence as the chairman, Commanders of the tri-services, representatives of the University Grant Commission and the General Treasury, and the Commandant of the academy as members. From 1980 to 1986, Service Officer Cadets temporarily studied engineering and physical science at the University of Colombo and University of Moratuwa , and they were awarded

368-602: Is organized by Sri Lanka Military Academy. It is one of the premier motor racing events in the country. Ceylon Defence Force The Ceylon Defence Force ( CDF ) was established in 1910 by the Ceylonese legislation Ceylon Defence Force Ordinance , which reformed the Ceylon Volunteer Force (CVF) that existed previously as the military reserve in the British Crown colony of Ceylon . At

414-630: Is the only public university in Sri Lanka offering Bachelor of Science in Degrees in Marine Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering. The degree courses at the KDU run for two to five years. The officer cadets follow a course of study from the fields of medicine, law, engineering, management and technical sciences, commerce or arts. At the end of the second year, the officer cadets (other than

460-699: The Maldives and Bangladesh since 1992. The Military Training Wing of the SLMA conducts the Drill Instructor Course for Non commissioned officers . Since officer training began in 1968, the ATC and the SLMA has produced the officers who have taken part in and led all military operations the Sri Lanka Army has engaged in since then. Since 2000, all officers who served as the Commander of

506-620: The Middle East to Ceylon, and later in 1946 Japanese POWs from Ceylon to India . In 1945 reached its wartime peak at 645 officers and 14,247 other ranks. At the centre of the expansion was the Ceylon Light Infantry which grew by 1946 from one to five battalions. In 1947 the CDF was again mobilised in its last major internal security operation to suppress a left wing hartal , or mass stoppage of work. The Ceylon Defence Force

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552-614: The ATC in 1972, were laid to rest with the change of name to Sri Lanka Military Academy. The Colours were renamed as SLMA Colours and presented by Her Excellency Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga , the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka , on 21 June 1997, at Diyatalawa. Upon completion of their training, the SLMA hosts the Commissioning ceremony attended by the Commander of

598-693: The Army , senior army officers, defence attaches of diplomatic establishments and parents. It starts off with the Passing-Out Parade made up of the graduating intakes of cadets, during which the cadets receive the President's Commission along with the Sword of Honour and Trophies, awarded to the cadets first in order of merit. This is followed by the Pipping ceremony where parents of new Officers and Lady Officers adorned their uniform and epaulets with

644-684: The Army Training Centre in 1968 with the formation of the Officer Cadet School. The first intake of 13 Officer Cadets who were earmarked to be trained at the Army Training Centre, Diyatalawa, were enlisted on 16 April 1968. The 1971 JVP insurrection , saw the Officer Cadet Intake 4 expanding to 30 cadets. Since then Officer Cadets were locally trained and commissioned. With the expansion and the growing need to train large numbers of recruits, recruit training

690-535: The Army was Brigadier T. S. B. Sally , who ended his service tenure in 1979. Its commissioned officers received their commission from the Governor, instead of the British Monarch which was the case in the British Army . Since the force was a volunteer force, its personnel were made up of exclusively of the upper and middle class of the island who could spare the free time. Much of the officer carder

736-586: The Bill explicitly specifies that the KDU is formed outside of the jurisdiction of the UGC Act No. 16 of 1978 . As a result, unlike other state universities and higher education institutes in Sri Lanka that are governed by the UGC, KDU has the authority to regulate itself. In actuality, the KDU statute legalizes a full parallel military administration structure for civil higher education purposes with autonomy. The KDU

782-508: The CDF were actively recruited into the newly constructed regular force, and reconstituted volunteer force of the new Ceylon Army . In its first few years, and with few exceptions, the only new recruits enlisted were officer cadets and soldiers below the rank of warrant officer . Ceylon Defence Force veterans featured prominently in the post-independence regular Ceylon Army until General D. S. Attygalle (1967–1977) finished his term as Commander. The last Ceylon Defence Force veteran to leave

828-409: The Ceylon Defence Force used British military decorations . General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) ( Sinhala : ජෙනරාල් ශ්‍රිමත් ජෝන් කොතලාවල ආරක්ෂක විශ්ව විද්‍යාලය General Sir John Kotelawala Arakshaka Vishva Vidyalaya ) located at Kandawala , Ratmalana , Colombo , is the state defense university of Sri Lanka which

874-796: The Ceylon Defence Force, mainly the Ceylon Light Infantry and the Ceylon Garrison Artillery were placed outside Ceylon undertaking garrison duties on the Seychelles and the Cocos Islands . In Cocos Islands Mutiny took place (encouraged by Trotskyist Lanka Sama Samaja Party ) by a few members of the Ceylon Garrison Artillery but was immediately put down by the Ceylon Light Infantry. CLI troops in 1941 escorted Italian POWs from

920-728: The Ceylon Light Infantry, who was the last man left alive in his unit at the Battle of Lys, and who continued to fight for 20 minutes before he was killed. The CPRC sent a force of 8 officers and 229 other ranks commanded by Major J. Hall Brown to the Great War. The unit sailed for Egypt in October 1914, and was deployed in defence of the Suez Canal. This unit was officially attached to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) and

966-545: The Ceylon Mounted Rifles and the Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps which was limited to Europeans and not opened to native Ceylonese. As volunteer units , the CDF personal served in a part-time basis. They would carryout dills and practice during a weekend per month and would undertake a training camp of two week duration once a year at Imperial Camp in the Diyatalawa Garrison . From its formation

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1012-493: The Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps had sustained overall losses of 80 killed and 99 wounded in the Great War. Soon after the war the 80th Carnatics, who were the last regular military unit stationed in Ceylon on garrison duties, left. This resulted in the Ceylon Defence Force becoming a regular military unit with some units, such as the Mobilized Detachment of Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers having troops mobilised on

1058-582: The Ceylon Volunteers in 1881, whereby the Citizens' Rifle Society rifle section was designated the 1st Battalion Ceylon Light Infantry with Lieutenant Colonel John Scott Armtage appointed as the first Commanding Officer. The Ceylon Volunteers subsequently were renamed the Ceylon Volunteer Force and finally was renamed the Ceylon Defence Force in 1910. Units of the Ceylon Volunteer Force in 1910. In 1900 Ceylon Mounted Infantry saw action and in 1902

1104-517: The Engineering cadets and who stay to complete their third-year studies) are sent to their military academies ( Sri Lanka Military Academy , Diyatalawa ; Naval and Maritime Academy , Trincomalee ; Air Force Academy , SLAF China Bay ). Since 2010 the university was opened for non-military students under a payment scheme. These students are allowed to enjoy the academic and other facilities that were available for cadets before. They have to wear

1150-796: The English language is conducted during the first six months of training to enhance the English knowledge of Officer Cadets. Completion of research work is a partial fulfillment for the Degree other than the Military and Academic Components. It is accredited to the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University for the award of the Bachelor of Science in Military studies degree on successful completion of

1196-627: The Sri Lanka Army have been trained at the ATC/SLMA. Its alumni includes Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka , President Gotabaya Rajapaksa , and Major General Sarath Munasinghe . The following are SLMA graduates who received the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya , the highest decoration for valor; Fox Hill Super Cross is a cross country championship held annually at the Diyatalawa Super cross circuit at Fox Hill which

1242-601: The University Hospital of General Sir John Kotelawala Defense University was held on 21 May 2017. KDU become first university in Sri Lanka, running its own University Hospital with modern facilities. The university hospital provide medical services to general public and service personnel free of charge. In 2018, parliament of Sri Lanka passed the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (Special Provisions) Act to abolish medical faculty of South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine and to transfer

1288-506: The annual training camp and exercise that took place in Diyatalawa . Infantry companies were formed in cities and towns with local volunteers. Recruitment took place at regiment and unit level, with the commanding officer of the regiment deciding on both the officer and other ranks recruited into their respective units, following an application and an interview by a recruitment board. This meant that regiments retained exclusiveness such as

1334-817: The degree by the same universities. In 1988, KDA was elevated to university status subsequent to proposal made to the then government headed by the President J.R. Jayewardene , thus enabling KDA to offer degrees in Defence Studies. An amendment bill was passed in Parliament on 18 March 2007 granting the status of a national university to the KDA. On 11 October 2007 KDA was renamed as the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University. KDU opened its southern campus at Sooriyawewa, Sri Lanka on 5 May 2015. The opening of

1380-805: The establishment the Officers Study Centre (OSC) in 1981 which conducted the Junior Command Course (JCC) and the Junior Staff Course (JSC). In 2012, these programs of the OSC were transferred to the newly established Officer Career Development Centre . In overall command of the SLMA is the Commandant of the Academy, usually an officer of Major General Rank. SLMA has several Commissioning Courses each year. Each new intake numbers approximately 150 cadets, each of whom joins

1426-667: The exception of the Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps which was completely made up of Europeans. In 1914, with the outbreak of the First World War , the Ceylon Defence Force was mobilised and expanded. Many volunteers from the Defence Force traveled to England and joined the British Army, and many of them were killed in action. One of them mentioned by Arthur Conan Doyle was Private Jacotine of

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1472-562: The higher education in Sri Lanka. It has been claimed that the bill would allow the KDU to continue function independent of the University Grants Commission and it will excludes the KDU from the purview of the UGC per its funding Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy Act, No. 68 of 1981 . These groups further claim that any university that intends to offer civil education should not function without UGC control and quality assurance. For example, Article 15 2 (1) of

1518-560: The late General Sir John Kotelawala , CH , KBE , LLD , a former Prime Minister of Ceylon . The KDU functions under the motto For The Motherland Forever , a dictum followed by General Sir John Kotelawala himself. The KDA was instituted with the objective of educating males and females to be commissioned officers in the armed forces of Sri Lanka. It has been legally established under the Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy Act No. 68 of 1981 and

1564-403: The program. In addition to the SLMA regular intake, army officer cadets from General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University spend their final year at the SLMA. Additional intakes have been admitted to the academy starting with Volunteer Force Quartermasters . With increased war time demands on the army underwent a rapid expansion. To meet need of new officers the ATC increased the numbers of

1610-469: The proposed Bill placed KDU management under the Defence Ministry, with a senior officer of the armed services serving as the president or vice-chancellor , rather than under the Ministry of Higher Education , as is the norm. This bill has been challenged by several groups including scholars and university students that have claimed the move could lead to privatization and militarization of

1656-422: The regular intake and initiated a short commissioning course as the volunteer officers transitioned from reservists to a mobilized short service commission in the 1980s. Direct Enlisted Courses of three month duration are carried out for officer direct entry stream to the Regular Force for professionals such as Doctors, IT specialists, Civil Engineers, Accountants. It also has undertaken to train Officer Cadets from

1702-449: The regular long course was elevated to the standards of bachelor's degree in military studies which was awarded by the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka . This was shifted to the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University in 2011. SLMA started academic programs for mid-career Officers in basic command and staff techniques at the level of Grade III/II appointments , (Officers in the ranks of Lieutenant / Captain / Major ), with

1748-635: The respective insignia. The event is finished with the Commissioning Dinner . Since April 1968, each year SLMA takes a new intake of officer cadets, who on completing their training would be commissioned into the Regular Force of the Sri Lanka Army for a mandatory service of ten years. The regular intake, known as the Regular Long Course (Cadet Entry Degree Program) is two years and nine months long. During this period, cadets are trained in leadership, tactics, weapons training, military law, military accounting systems and academic studies such as General Science, Management, and General Studies. An intensive course in

1794-409: The students to General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University. It is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities . In June 2021, the State Minister of Internal Security, Home Affairs and Disaster Management presented the Sir John Kotelawala National Defence University Bill (Special Provisions) , proposing legislative changes to the governing structure of the KDU. Controversially,

1840-412: The time of forming it was only a reserve force but soon developed into a regular force responsible for the defence of Ceylon. The CDF was under the command of the General Officer Commanding, Ceylon of the British Army in Ceylon if mobilised. However mobilisation could be carried out only under orders from the Governor . The origins of the Ceylon Defence Force can be traced back to the formation of

1886-483: Was assigned to the respective regiments. In 1988 due to the expansion of the Army and the need for more young officers the ATC was given the responsibility of training only Officer Cadets. With this, the Army Training Centre was re-designated as the Sri Lanka Military Academy with effect from 15 January 1981, and since then it has been totally utilized for training of Officer Cadets. At any one time, five to six hundred Officer Cadets are trained at this institution. In 1999,

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1932-404: Was formed in Diyatalawa on 6 February 1950 for the purpose of training recruits. The first batch of 114 recruits passed out from the ARTD on 2 June 1950. The ARTD was later named as the Army Training Centre (ATC) . The Ceylon Army continued to send its Officer Cadets to RMA Sandhurst in the 1950s decade. Due to the cost of training officers overseas, the Ceylon Army initiated officer training at

1978-467: Was given additional support by an armed detachment of British Royal Marines from HMS Glasgow , who were utilised to deter strikers in Colombo . The Ceylon Defence Force was officially disbanded on 11 April 1949 and reconstituted by Army Act No. 17 of 1949 which revoked the Ceylon Defence Force Ordinance of 1910 as the Ceylon Volunteer Force (CVF) , itself becoming the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force (SLAVF) in 1972. Soldiers who had experience in

2024-423: Was in 1915 dispatched to Anzac Cove (‘Z’ Beach) on the Gallipoli Peninsula . The CPRC performed operational duties as guards to ANZAC headquarter staff, including the General Officer Commanding ANZAC, Lieutenant General William Birdwood , who remarked, “I have an excellent guard of Ceylon Planters who are such a nice lot of fellows.” According to its onetime Commanding Officer (CO), Colonel T.Y. Wright (1904–1912),

2070-431: Was made up of Europeans, Burghers and a smaller extent from the Sinhalese , Tamils and Moor communities. A few Europeans had served with the British Army , vast majority were planters, landowners and professionals such as lawyers, doctors engineers and civil servants. Oxbridge graduates could easily gain a commission. Officer training was limited with, much of the training and activity were planned on weekends and at

2116-443: Was named after General Sir John Kotelawala , third Prime Minister of Ceylon who donated his home for the academy. It was made a university by an amendment bill passed in Parliament on 11 October 2007 which enabled both military and civilian students to be admitted. The General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy (the Defence University of Sri Lanka) was inaugurated on 11 October 1980 on a 48-acre (190,000 m ) estate donated by

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