Sumangala Dias
Air Chief Marshal Sumangala Dias (also known as Dambure Liyanage Sumangala Dias) RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, MSc (Def & Strat Stu), ndc, psc is a senior Sri Lankan Air Force Officer and the 17th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force[2][3] He retired from his position as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force on 2 November 2020 and was replaced by Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana.[4][5] Air Chief Marshal Sumangala Dias is the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Canada.[6][7]
Sumangala Dias | |
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Allegiance | Sri Lanka |
Service/ | ![]() |
Years of service | 1984 - present |
Rank | Air Chief Marshal [1] |
Unit | No. 6 Squadron SLAF |
Commands held | 17th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force Chief of Staff Base Commander SLAF Katunayake Base Commander SLAF Hingurakgoda No. 6 Squadron SLAF No. 8 Squadron SLAF No. 2 Squadron SLAF |
Battles/wars | Sri Lankan Civil War |
Awards | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Education and military career
Educated at Nalanda College, Colombo, Dias enlisted in the Sri Lanka Air Force as part of its 13th Officer Cadet Intake on 13 December 1984.[2][3][8] On completing basic and advanced flight training, he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the General Duties Pilot Branch on 15 August 1986.[3] Dias was wounded in action over Silavaturai during the opening stages of Eelam War II in 1990, as part of the SLAF's support operations of besieged Sri Lanka Army positions.[9] After completing a Command and Staff Course in India, he was assigned to the No. 6 Squadron operating out of SLAF Vavuniya.
Having being promoted to the rank of Squadron Leader, Dias was appointed Commanding Officer of the No. 2 Heavy Transport Squadron at SLAF Ratmalana on 21 October 1996, and then CO of the No. 8 Light Transport Squadron based there.[10] After completing a Staff Course at the Indian Defence Services Staff College in 2001, he was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander, and appointed commanding officer of the No. 6 Squadron on 26 June 2002.[2][3][10]
On 1 June 2005, Dias was appointed Base Commander at SLAF Hingurakgoda; in 2008 he was appointed Senior Air Coordinator for the final stages of Eelam War IV, coordinating SLAF operations with the ground operations of the 57-, 58 and 59 divisions of the Sri Lanka Army.[10] He also completed a National Defence Course at the National Defence College Bangladesh.[2][3]
On 5 December 2009, he was appointed Base Commander at SLAF Katunayake, and promoted to the rank of Air Commodore by 2011.[10][11][12] Dias then saw a rapid rise through the ranks, starting in 2013 when he was appointed Deputy Director of Air Operations, to Deputy Director Logistics on 28 February 2014, to Director Logistics on 1 July 2014 and then to Acting Director of Air Operations on 15 June 2016.[10] He was finally appointed Chief of the Air Staff on 1 October 2016, formally taking up duties on 27 October.[2][3][10]
Dias has completed a Joint Air Warfare course in India, and is a trained Aircraft Accident Investigator following a course in Pakistan; he has also held the position of Chief Flight Safety Officer within the SLAF.[2][3][10]
Sumangala was presented with Nalanda Keerthi Sri award by his alma mater Nalanda College, Colombo in 2019.[13]
Personal life
Dias is married to Mayuri and has two children Bimsara and Visaka.[10] He is also interested in sport, having held the Chair of SLAF Athletics in 2012, and the Chairmanship of SLAF Cycling.[3]
Military offices | ||
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Preceded by Kapila Jayampathy |
Commander of the Air Force 29 May 2019 - 02 November 2020 |
Succeeded by Sudarshana Pathirana |
References
- http://www.airforce.lk/news.php?news=4759
- "Air Vice Marshall D.L.S. Dias is Air Force Chief of Staff". Dailynews.lk. Daily News Sri Lanka. 27 October 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- "D.L.S Dias appointed as Chief of Staff of SLAF". Adaderana.lk. Ada Derana. 27 October 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- "Air Vice Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana - New Air Force Commander". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- "Sudarshana Pathirana new Air Force Commander". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- Air Marshal Sumangala Dias approved as Sri Lanka’s envoy to Canada
- 9 new envoys with AF Commander picked to head SL Mission in Canada
- Nalanda College Alumni (Sri Lanka Air Force)
- Ferdinando, Shamindra (23 July 2013). "War on Terror Revisited: No 4 Helicopter Squadron to the fore". Island.lk. The Island (Sri Lanka). Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- "Chief of Staff". Airforce.lk. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- "Excellence Award 2011". Airforce.lk. Sri Lanka Air Force. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- Paranamanna, Sarasi (4 September 2011). "Pacific Air Rally 2011: Mastering the Skies". Nation.lk. The Nation (Sri Lanka). Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- Nalandians’ Tribute to the Commander of the Air Force