Remembering one of Lanka’s brave sons

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

- Laurence Binyon Major General Ananda Sri Sisira Kumara Hamangoda, RWP, RSP, USP, was a brave, smart and efficient army officer who made the supreme sacrifice 24 years ago.

Brigade Commander of the 51-2 Brigade based in Jaffna, Hamangoda was killed on July 4, 1996, when an LTTE female suicide bomber detonated explosives strapped to her waist as the motorcade he was in stopped at Stanley Road in Jaffna town.

A brilliant student of Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala, Ananda excelled in many spheres as a sportsman, student leader, house captain, senior cadet, and more importantly, as the school’s best orator. Hailed as a role model for the school by his teachers and peers, Ananda captained the school’s badminton team in 1971 and won the Gold Medal for overall best performance in the school that year.

He started his initial army training as a member of Maliyadeva’s Junior Cadet Platoon which won the All Island Junior Cadet

Championship continuously for several years from 1965. Later he graduated to the Senior Cadet Platoon ending up as the Sergeant.

Born on November 1, 1950 in Kalutara, he enlisted to the Sri Lanka Army (Regular Force) as cadet officer in 1973 and received his commission later on as a Second Lieutenant in the 4th Regiment of Sri Lanka Artillery. From that stage onwards, the promotions were many: Second Lieutenant Hamangoda became Lieutenant in 1976, Captain in 1979, Major in 1983, Lieutenant

Colonel in 1990, Colonel in 1994 and finally Brigadier on November 15, 1995.

His army career extended over 23 years, which was half his life span of 46 years. He followed several advanced courses at some of the finest military academies in the world in Wellington, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

He served as the commanding officer of the 6th Field Regiment, Sri Lanka Artillery from October 1992 to March 1994 and as commanding officer of 51-2 Brigade in Jaffna in 1995.

He was actively involved with operations ‘Vadamarachchi’, ‘Akunu Pahara’, ‘Idiri Pimma’ and ‘Riviresa’ and received several medals of gallantry, among them the ‘Uttama Seva Padakkama’, the ‘Poorna Boomi Padakkama’, the ‘Vadamarachchi Medal’ and the ‘Riviresa Medal’.

With the rapid expansion of the Army, he on his own initiative raised a new Field Battery in the newly founded 6th Regiment of Sri Lanka Artillery and became its first Battery-Commander. Afterwards he was also appointed the first Second in Command in the newly raised 7th Light Artillery Regiment in November 1988, in view of his excellent and extensive knowledge on artillery and wide experience in the battlefield. His dedication towards the Artillery Regiment was commendable; he rendered a yeoman service to the Regiment with his knowledge and experience.

His sporting prowess in cricket, volleyball as well as in boxing contributed to the advancement of sports activities in the Army.

Ananda was married to Indrani Dissanayake, a teacher at Royal College, Colombo and they had two daughters Buwani and Maheshni and one son Dulshan.

A close friend