SHAVENDRA IS ARMY’S NEW CHIEF OF STAFF
Maj. Gen. Silva has held all Command appointments that an infantry officer could hold ranging from platoon commander to General Officer Commanding of an Infantry Division
Major General Silva, who also the Colonel of the Gajaba Regiment, has had an illustrious career from Second Lieutenant to Major General, covering all the salient appointments in his military career.
He was Ambassador and the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York from 2010-2015. He was the Alternative Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Special Political and Decolonization Committee from 2010 and 2015. He was also Advisor of the Sri Lankan delegation to the United Nations Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs Committee. Being a Member of the Official Sri Lanka Delegation for the 66th, 67th, 68th and 69th United Nations General Assembly, Maj. Gen Silva participated in bilateral and multilateral consultations.
Maj. Gen. Silva has held all Command appointments that an infantry officer could hold ranging from platoon commander to General Officer Commanding of an Infantry Division. He commanded the 58th Division and the Commando Brigade during the Humanitarian Operations and he also has commanded the 53rd Division which is the Reserve Strike Force and also commanded the Air Mobile Brigade. Maj Gen Silva Commanded three Infantry Battalions during the crucial period of Sri Lankan Military. He had held key staff appoinments in the Military Secretary’s Branch, the Directorate of Plans, the Directorate of Training and Staff officer to Security Forces Head Quarters, Jaffna. Soon after the Humanitarian Operation was over in the year 2009 , Maj. Gen. Silva was appointed as the Director General Operations at the Army Head Quarters & also was appointed as Colonel Commandant of the Commando Regiment. He is a graduate from the Harvard University in the United States and holds a MSC in philosophy in Defense and Strategic Studies in India. He is trained and qualified in psychology operations by the United States Army.