Sarath Fonseka

Quick Facts

Full Name	Sarath Fonseka
Occupation	Politician
Date Of Birth	Dec 18, 1950(1950-12-18)
Age	74
Birthplace	Ambalangoda
Country	Sri Lanka
Birth City	Southern Province
Horoscope	Sagittarius

Sarath Fonseka Biography

Sarath Fonseka is one of the most popular and richest Politician who was born on December 18, 1950 in Ambalangoda, Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Fonseka was born December 18, 1950 in the town of Ambalangoda in south Sri Lanka. The father of the child was Peter Fonseka, a school principal , while the mother, Piyawathie Fonseka was an educator. He was a student at Madawalalanda Maha Vidyalaya (1955-1957) in Ampara and later received his secondary education at Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda (1958-1965) as well as Ananda College, Colombo (1966-1969). Fonseka was a part of his school at cadeting and swimming, and water polo tournaments. He was the water polo and swimming captain in 1969. He later, he represented the defence forces and the nation in these games. He was a Sergeant of the College Cadet Platoon.

Following the outbreak during the 1988-89 JVP Insurrection Fonseka was appointed military director of the Gampaha District. Fonseka was believed to have devised the strategy which resulted in the arrest of Premakumar Gunaratnam. He also earned the reputation of his gentle treatment of the detainees.

In 1991, he was promoted to Colonel and served as a brigade commander, 3rd Brigade during Operation Balavegaya and distinguished himself as a Brigade Commander. In the First Battle of Elephant Pass, the Sri Lankan armed forces were able to beat back the LTTE owing to the tenacity of the besieged troops led by Fonseka and the grit with which they held on despite the overwhelming odds. Thereafter he was appointed as Center Commandant, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment at Ambepussa and next served as Staff Officer I at the Directorate of Operations at the Army Headquarters.

In 1993, the Jaffna Fort was under siege by Tamil Tiger rebels. Then Colonel Fonseka led troops in the daring Midnight Express operation to relieve besieged troops. Several hundred soldiers were saved due to the operation. Colonel Fonseka was wounded that year in the Yaldevi operation, having been shot through the lung. At the time Fonseka was commanding the 23 Division. After recovering, he was promoted to Brigadier in December 1993 and was appointed to the Operational Headquarters in Colombo.

As a platoon commander within the Sinha Regiment, he was promoted to Lieutenant in 1973. He was elevated to Captain in the year 1976. At this point, he took training in the Commando Officers Course (1973) as well as the Battalion Support Weapons Course (1976) and Counter Insurgency Jungle Warfare Course (1978) in India. In 1980, he became a Major, and in 1981, he attended the company Commanders Course in Pakistan. Over the next few years, the instructor was employed in the Sri Lanka Military Academy, Ampara Combat Training School and Infantry Training Centre as well as then as Director of Instruction and Assistant Commandant of the same institutes of training.

Sarath Fonseka Net Worth

Sarath Fonseka is one of the richest Politician from Sri Lanka. According to our analysis, Wikipedia, Forbes & Business Insider, Sarath Fonseka 's net worth $5 Million. (Last Update: December 11, 2023)

Field Marshal Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, MP, RCDs, psc (Sinhala grdiheevaa srt: Cndrlaal fonseekaa Tamil crt ponnnceekaa born on 18 December 1950) is commonly referred to in the media as Sarath Fonseka, is a Sri Lankan politician and a military leader. He was the 18th commander of the Sri Lankan Army, and under his leadership, his Sri Lankan Army ended the 26-year Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009 by defeating the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and he later was the Chief of Defence Staff. After his retirement of the Army with the rank of General He entered politics as a common opposition candidate for the presidential election in which he was competing against the incumbent president Mahinda Rajapaksa. After his controversial loss during the presidential election, he became a member of Parliament during the general election following. Afterward, he was made an inmate of the political system and was subsequently stripped of his seat in Parliament. Fonseka has backed Maithripala Sirisena in the 2015 presidential election. Following his election victory, newly elected President Sirisena offered Fonseka full pardon and reinstated his rights as a citizen, including military rank, and other decorations. He was later promoted to the new field marshal rank on the 22nd of March 2015, becoming one of the very first Sri Lankan Army officer to be elevated to the rank.

Fonseka was a member of the Ceylon Army on 5 February 1970 as a cadet and after finishing his basic officer’s instruction in the Army Training Centre in Diyatalawa He was appointed Second Lieutenant of the 1st Battalion, Ceylon Sinha Regiment on June 1, 1971 during the insurrection of 1971.

In 1987, he graduated from Defence Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur in Bangladesh. On his return was appointed Commanding Officer, 4th Sri Lanka Light Infantry and participated in the Vadamarachchi Operation.[1] The following year he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and appointed Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment in 1989.

Height, Weight & Body Measurements

Sarath Fonseka height Not available right now. Sarath weight Not Known & body measurements will update soon.

Who is Sarath Fonseka Dating?

According to our records, Sarath Fonseka married to Anoma Fonseka. As of December 1, 2023, Sarath Fonseka’s is not dating anyone.

Relationships Record : We have no records of past relationships for Sarath Fonseka. You may help us to build the dating records for Sarath Fonseka!

After recovering from his wounds, Lt. General Fonseka resumed his duties in July 2006. Fonseka has been described as the mastermind of the military strategy behind the military victory in Sri Lanka’s three-decade war against terrorism. He abandoned conventional methods, matched the ingenious tactics and strategies of the LTTE, fully utilized the superior numerical strength and fire power of the Sri Lankan armed forces and kept up pressure on the enemy. He broke tradition by insisting on the full deployment of naval and air power to aid the war on land and succeeded in getting the support of the other service commanders.

Facts & Trivia

Sarath Ranked on the list of most popular Politician. Also ranked in the elit list of famous people born in Sri Lanka. Sarath Fonseka celebrates birthday on December 18 of every year.

Fonseka broke army units into small groups and made these highly trained and motivated men who infiltrated Tiger-held areas, tracked down the fighting cadres of the LTTE and eliminated them. He transformed the Sri Lankan army from its defensive posture to an offence force. Along with his proactive military leadership, the battle-hardened commander changed military strategy in preparations before the war such as changing the training and ethos of the infantry and preparing the defences in the north. He empowered the frontline soldier, breaking the norms of conventional military attitude. In 2007, Fonseka introduced the Mechanized Infantry Regiment.

Top Facts about Sarath Fonseka

1. Sarath Fonseka is a retired Sri Lankan Army General.
2. He played a key role in ending the Sri Lankan Civil War.
3. Fonseka was awarded the title of “Desha Bandu” by the government.
4. He served as Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army.
5. Fonseka was arrested and imprisoned on charges of corruption.
6. He contested against Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2010 presidential elections.
7. Fonseka received support from opposition parties but lost to Rajapaksa.
8. In 2015, he was released from prison after a presidential pardon.
9. Fonseka later became a member of parliament and cabinet minister.
10. He remains a controversial figure in Sri Lankan politics today.