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]

Air Chief Marshal

Sumangala Dias
AllegianceSri Lanka
Service/branch Sri Lanka Air Force
Years of service1984 - present
RankAir Chief Marshal [1]
UnitNo. 6 Squadron SLAF
Commands held17th 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/warsSri Lankan Civil War
Awards Rana Wickrama Padakkama
Rana Sura Padakkama (x4)
50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal
Desha Putra Sammanaya
North and East Operations Medal
Purna Bhumi Padakkama
Vadamarachchi Operation Medal
Riviresa Campaign Services Medal
Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal
Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medal

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
Preceded by
Kapila Jayampathy		 Commander of the Air Force
29 May 2019 - 02 November 2020		 Succeeded by
Sudarshana Pathirana

References
  1. http://www.airforce.lk/news.php?news=4759
  2. "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.
  3. "D.L.S Dias appointed as Chief of Staff of SLAF". Adaderana.lk. Ada Derana. 27 October 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  4. "Air Vice Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana - New Air Force Commander". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  5. "Sudarshana Pathirana new Air Force Commander". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  6. Air Marshal Sumangala Dias approved as Sri Lanka’s envoy to Canada
  7. 9 new envoys with AF Commander picked to head SL Mission in Canada
  8. Nalanda College Alumni (Sri Lanka Air Force)
  9. 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.
  10. "Chief of Staff". Airforce.lk. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  11. "Excellence Award 2011". Airforce.lk. Sri Lanka Air Force. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  12. Paranamanna, Sarasi (4 September 2011). "Pacific Air Rally 2011: Mastering the Skies". Nation.lk. The Nation (Sri Lanka). Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  13. Nalandians’ Tribute to the Commander of the Air Force
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