S. A. Dissanayake

Educated at the Royal College, Colombo where he played rugby union at the Bradby Shield Encounter, he went to study at the University College, Colombo.

In January 1938, he was appointed by the Governor as a Police Probationer and under went training at Hendon Police College. Having completed his service examinations, he was appointed Assistant Superintendent of Police, Galle in January 1940 and went on to serve in Tangalle, Galle, Colombo Division (North), Nuwera Eliya, Kurunagala, CID (Technical) and Ports. In January 1950 he was promoted to Superintendent of Police and went on duty leave to Australia. In 1925 he took over as Superintendent of Police Western Province (North). During police serviced he received the Ceylon Police Medal for Meritorious Service, Defence Medal 1939-45, Ceylon Police Independence Medal and the Service Medal of the Order of St John. [1]

In 1962, he was Deputy Inspector-General of Police, CID and lead the counter-coup operation and subsequent investigation to arrest those involved. In April 1963, S. A. Dissanayake succeeded M. Walter F. Abeykoon as IGP. In early 1966, Dissanayake was placed on compulsory leave and was succeeded by John Attygalle as IGP.

Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike appointed Dissanayake as Additional Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs and Defence in April 1971 when the 1971 JVP Insurrection broke out to coordinated military and police operations.

He was the younger brother of Cyril Dissanayake and his children were Dr Sriani Basanayake, sprinter Dr Nirmala LaBrooy and Surgeon Commodore Lakdasa Dissanayake.

• Coup of 1962: an inside story, by former diplomat T. D. S. A. Dissanayaka, son of C.C. "Jungle" Dissanayaka
• Looking back on operation `Holdfast'
• THE QUEEN v. CYRIL CYRUS DISSANAYAKA
• JR’s Kandy March and the tale of ‘Imbulgoda Veeraya’
• How tough cops got over tricky situations, Former DIG Vamadevan recalls police life in old Ceylon
• How to correct the many wrongs in the police

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